The Firm
by LoveRob
Summary: A new associate joins Cullen, Hale and McCarty law firm, a top notch team of handsome attorneys. Will she be an asset or their undoing, particularly for the most reclusive senior partner? Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**The Firm**

_**A new associate joins Cullen, Hale, and McCarty law firm, a top-notch team of handsome attorneys. Will she be an asset or their undoing, particularly for the most reclusive senior partner?**_

**So, here is my new offering. Be patient, it'll be a slow burn. **

**I do not own Twilight, never did. That, in all its glory, remains Stephenie Meyer's. Thank you, Steph.**

**Dollybigmomma is beta once again. Without her, my stories would still be hidden away deep in my "my documents" folder. You rock, Dolly!**

**Prologue**

**EDWARD**

Being a senior partner of Cullen, Hale, and McCarty law firm had its benefits; well, sometimes that is. I had a lifestyle that someone as young as twenty-eight should not have had. I had a luxury penthouse apartment with a view from the balcony to die for, situated in one of Seattle's swankiest addresses. I had more money than I knew what to do with, although my personal investment manager had other ideas about that. Women, lots of them, were always available. I could take my pick, actually. Tall to short, blondes, brunettes, or redheads, it rarely mattered; they all loved me, they all wanted me, or rather my money and my status, mostly. I was never without a beautiful woman on my arm for events and charity balls if I needed one.

The thing about me, however, was that I did not date. I had no time, no inclination, and no one had interested me enough to make me want more than what I made certain any woman who associated with me knew to expect, which was nothing. I was not the romantic type; casual sex and the occasional companion for a specific event, that was me in a nutshell.

I was just too busy most of the time for anything else. Work was my life and that was the way I liked it. I was a hard-working attorney, creating quite a reputation in Washington State. I had been told that in full flow in the courtroom, I was "sex on a stick," not exactly how I would describe a shit-hot legal counsel who had yet to lose a case, but hey, who was I to judge.

Jasper Hale and Emmett McCarty were my business partners as well as my most-trusted friends. We had been the terrible trio since our first year at Princeton. The faculty there had their eyes really opened when Cullen, Hale, and McCarty rolled in. That first semester had us in more trouble than I cared to remember and at one point, I thought my dad was going to revoke my financial support and haul my ass home.

Those were fun days and I remembered them fondly; women, different ones every night…drink, lots of that, more than any of us could handle, actually. Jasper and Emmett were a whole lot more open than me, both having a constant stream of beautiful women at their disposal then, as well as flowing in and out of our offices even now. Thinking about it now made me roll my eyes. They wouldn't change, though. They both loved women too much to do without for any length of time. Me, I kept my door closed and my head down, point-blankly refusing all efforts on my friends' parts to set me up with a friend of their latest squeeze.

My mum, Esme, kept telling me I was just waiting for the right one to come along. I was not so sure that there was such a thing, for me especially. I was too fussy, it was too much like hard work, and I was certainly too selfish. What woman in her right mind would put up with fourteen-hour days, seven days a week? What woman would put up with a man who didn't want to talk to her about her day and who was definitely not interested in all the trite things she most certainly would be interested in? I could see myself old and grey and lonely; very, very lonely.

Today, we had an early meeting. We had a new associate lawyer, a Miss Swan, coming in. Jasper and Emmett had interviewed her last week while I was in court. They seemed pretty impressed. Her resume was outstanding and her references glowing. We were lucky to get her on board so early in her career. The meeting this morning was mostly introductions seeing as I had missed the interviews, followed by a short presentation by Jasper to bring Miss Swan up to speed on where we were as a firm, our policies, and what cases she would be handling. I was looking forward to meeting our newest employee. If her resume was right, she sounded a bit like me, a workaholic. I pictured her in my mind as short, round, and quite masculine, with thick-lensed glasses and certainly old before her time. I smiled as I set off, looking forward to today.

**BELLA**

I looked at my resume and sighed; Isabella Swan, aged twenty-five, from Forks, Washington. Most people had never even heard of it. That did not surprise me. I mean the little town in the far northwest barely registered on the map. It was always raining there and people brought up there tended to leave as soon as they could. I couldn't wait to leave, either, and I did. After spending four years at Brown getting a law degree, I headed back towards home, but I never actually got that far. No, I stopped off in Seattle and immediately fell in love with the vibrant cosmopolitan city and all it had to offer.

The last two years of my life had been busy to say the least. I was lucky enough to secure a position in a well-respected legal firm who took me on as a paralegal and let me show them what I could do. Now, two years later, I was fully qualified and looking for my next challenge. Well, I had actually found it.

Just last week, I found myself being interviewed by a Mr. Jasper Hale and a Mr. Emmett McCarty for an associate position within their firm. The interview had gone well and I was excited about the possibility of being a part of such an up-and-coming law firm. It didn't even put me off when Mr. McCarty told me about the other senior partner, a Mr. Edward Cullen, who, in their words, was a bit of a grumpy bastard, and a workaholic. He was a no-nonsense sort of guy. Okay, I could work with that, I'd just keep my nose to the grindstone. I knew my work would prove what a good lawyer I was.

The phone call came the next day from Mr. Hale. He offered me the position, and then he proceeded to ask me out on a date at the same time. I accepted the position, but politely declined his request for a date, telling him my personal policy was to never mixed business with pleasure, for professional reasons, of course. I had a week before I started my new position so I decided to do some more research on the firm and its reclusive third partner.

Google, my ever-faithful friend, did not let me down. The write-ups and biography on Edward Cullen made him sound like a demi-god. Words were used frequently like successful, handsome, and single. Before my interview, I had read reviews of all the firms' successful cases. Mr. Cullen had yet to lose one. Opponents in the courtroom described him as ruthless and driven. I wondered for a moment why I had not looked at the images of him then. I looked now and fuck me, and I did mean fuck me; handsome was not a word I would have used. It just didn't say it like it really was. Words like breathtakingly hot, sexy, and jaw-dropping were more appropriate.

All I could say was that it was good job he hadn't done the interview because there was not a cat in hell's chance I would have survived an hour in a room with him without either jumping his bones or fainting flat out on the floor. Mr. Hale and Mr. McCarty were both exceptionally handsome; both of them were good-looking in a very different way, but Edward Cullen? Fuck. Me. All I could say on that would be…yes and please.

Today was the day I started my new job. I dressed carefully, wanting to be professional while remaining stylish and a little sexy. I wanted to create the right impression. Alice, my best friend and resident fashion designer, helped me choose just the right undergarments to accentuate the positives, mainly my generous bust, round-but-firm backside, and small waist. I chose to wear a well-fitted YSL pantsuit in charcoal with just the hint of a pinstripe, and Alice matched it perfectly with a white silk blouse that plunged at the neckline, giving a hint, but only a hint, of what was hidden beneath. I finished with a pair of Manolo wing pumps, my signature style.

Glancing in the mirror, I had to admit I looked amazing and felt confident as I headed off into the unknown.

**So, worth carrying on?**

**Again, this one will be slow burn and I mean slow, if you want me to carry it on. Edward, as you can tell from his introduction, is not in the market for a relationship. Bella will not be looking to mix business with pleasure. Heck, she's already turned down Jasper.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Firm**

**Chapter 1**

**So, I'm overwhelmed at the response to the prologue! Wow, just wow, so many of you putting this new story on alert and adding it to your favourites. Thank you, and so many reviews, too. It's very much appreciated, I can assure you.**

**A lot of you were asking about the slow-burn...No, it does not relate to my updating schedule. It does, in fact, relate to how the tension/relationship between Edward and Bella will develop. Hope that answers any questions about that subject in particular.**

**Chapters will fluctuate between points of view.**

**Buckle up and get ready.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns all that is Twilight and its wonderful characters.**

**Hugs to Dollybigmomma, beta extraordinaire. **

**BELLA**

I made sure I arrived nice and early, as always, wanting to create the right impression. Not that I was usually late or anything, I was just a bit nervous. It was just after seven o'clock when I arrived and I could see that I was one of the first to arrive on the executive floor. The security guard had cleared me as being on his list of people expected that day, and he gave me a temporary badge until my official one was processed later in the morning.

Finding my way to the right floor, I found my office door was slightly ajar and I smiled proudly when I saw a shiny brass plaque with my name on it. _**Miss Isabella Swan, Associate.**_

I made a mental note to remember to tell the senior associates that if they chose not to call me Miss Swan, to call me Bella and not Isabella. No one but my dad called me that anymore. I walked through the door and the light came on immediately. Huh. I was approving of the gadgets so far. The room was light and spacious, and the office furniture was new and modern. It needed some personal trinkets or pictures, but I could get to that once I settled in.

In the middle of the desk was a state-of-the-art laptop, a MacBook if I was not mistaken, and I about squealed with excitement. I wondered if I would be able to use this for personal stuff, too. My own personal laptop at home, whilst at the time of purchase was quite a good specification, now paled in comparison. Running my fingers over the sleek machine, I sat down and smiled, turning it on.

I decide to take a look around the executive floor once I had carried out an investigation of my own office. Along with my beautiful office furniture was a large futon-style sofa that folded down flat. I supposed during particularly intense cases that required around-the-clock attention, being able to catch a quick nap in the office could be useful. I found pillows and nice linens in an adjacent cabinet. Through one of the doors leading off my office, I found a high-end washroom, fully tiled with a floating hand basin, large shower, and separate loo closet. It also had a small dressing room attached to it. This would certainly come in handy, and save me an awful lot of time getting caught up in office washroom gossiping.

I ventured into a large, fully-appointed kitchen with a long table that obviously constituted the break area. A luxury coffee-making machine sat beside a vending machine that was full of chocolate, biscuits, and candy. Someone around here sure had a sweet tooth.

The open reception desk was sleek and well equipped, and the name plaque read _**Jessica**__**Stanley**_**. **I remembered Mr. Hale telling me about her, and that she was the personal receptionist to the senior partners as well as another lawyer, a Mr. Newton, and now me. Mr. Newton had been hired just some six months before now. There were no other personnel on this floor as it truly was reserved for executives. Even the meeting rooms for clients were on the floor below. Good, hopefully it meant that it would be nice and quiet up here and things would get done efficiently. I wondered why they needed a receptionist on this floor if no one else came up here.

I slowly walked back to my office. When I was almost opposite my door, I saw another light on from under a closed door. The blinds to the side window of the door were firmly closed. As I neared the door, I saw the office belonged to Mr. Cullen. So the sexy, drop-dead-gorgeous boss would be right outside my door. Good, that would give me something to ogle over when I was bored (like that was even likely) or having my lunch.

I hoped silently he did not leave his blinds closed all the time. So he liked to be here early like me, did he? It confirmed what Google had said about him, he was a workaholic. The images I had seen on Google had me in a flat spin. He was beyond breath-taking. Like I'd said before, it was a good job he didn't interview me because I would have struggled to concentrate. Yeah, and the rest...

I paused outside, wondering if I should knock and introduce myself or wait until the meeting at eight thirty. I decided to wait, safety in numbers and all that. I was, after all, a coward.

As the offices on the executive floor filled up, I became a little more nervous. My palms started to sweat so I decided to take a few minutes to freshen up before making my way to the boardroom where our eight thirty was going to be held. Mr. McCarty had told me at the interview that these sorts of meetings happened every Monday morning. It was a good way to keep in touch with cases other than your own and to touch base with the senior partners. It was another reason I wanted to work here; I wanted to be a part of it, grow with it, and succeed with it.

After making myself as fresh as I could feel, I made my way toward the boardroom at the end of the executive floor. The door was open when I got there and I made my way inside. Mr. Hale and Mr. McCarty were already there and they were stood in a huddle talking animatedly to a woman dressed in a sharp suit with light brown hair. They turned as I entered.

"Ah, Miss Swan, please, do come in, let me introduce you to Jessica Stanley, our receptionist and all-around keeper of our diaries and appointments. Jessica, meet our newest recruit, Isabella Swan," Mr. Hale gushed.

"Hello, Miss Swan, I'm very pleased to meet you. I've heard good things about you from these two and I look forward to being of any help that I can," she smiled quietly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Jessica, and please, call me Bella. No one calls me Isabella except my dad, and Miss Swan is far too formal. Thank you for the offer; I think I'll need all the help I can get."

Someone else entered the room and all eyes turned to see who it was.

"Morning, Mike, come and meet Miss Swan, our newest recruit."

A tall blonde man, who was rather cute if a little baby-faced, smiled widely as he made his way over to us quickly, almost bumping into me before he stopped.

"Miss Swan, the pleasure is all mine, Michael Newton at your service." He almost bent down to kiss my hand when I offered it, but Jessica's voice halted him in his tracks.

"Mr. Newton, leave Bella alone. You don't want to be scaring her off on her first day here do you?" Jessica said in an authoritative voice.

He looked almost scared at her words and when their eyes met, I wondered if they were more to each other than professional colleagues, or was it that she just ran a tight ship up here. I hoped it was the latter, for all our sakes.

"Sorry, Jess, just being friendly, making the new girl feel welcome. Let me know if you need anything, Miss Swan. My office door is always open."

"Okay, people, Edward is running a few minutes late, he took a conference call from Europe earlier and it's put him behind schedule. He'll join us shortly," Mr. Hale told us.

We all sat around the huge solid wood table at the heart of the boardroom. I sat next to Jessica who squeezed my arm in reassurance. As the meeting went on, I felt more and more comfortable and found myself asking questions. I noticed Mr. McCarty raise an eyebrow or two in surprise at how tuned in I was already. I made notes and listened carefully to all that was said.

The door opened slowly about half an hour into the meeting and in walked Mr. Cullen. I felt myself swallow deeply and a hot blush rose up my whole body. Shit, I was going to make a right fool of myself if I wasn't careful. He was even more breathtakingly beautiful in person.

"Edward, come in and meet Bella," Mr. McCarty said enthusiastically nodding towards me.

Deep green eyes devoured me, but suddenly, his face held a deep scowl. Even with said scowl, he was still devastatingly handsome, even more so than the Google images. I stood a little and leaned over the table to offer him my hand. That was probably not the most sensible thing to do when wearing a blouse with a plunging neckline. He nodded without speaking, his eyes locked intensely on my shoulder, but he took my hand in his. Fuck! It felt like I'd been zapped with a cattle prod as a jolt ran up my arm, down my torso, and straight to my hoo-hah. I pulled my hand back as if I had been stung.

Edward's eyes looked as confused as mine as he glanced down at his palm, but his face offered no clue. The scowl was still present. He had obviously felt whatever it was that I had.

"Miss Swan, sorry I'm late, everyone, business call from Paris. Emmett, Jasper, please continue from where you were. I'll catch up on anything I missed later."

The meeting went on for another hour or so. I was in my element, asking questions, challenging where I felt appropriate. Mr. Cullen, it seemed, was not as impressed with me as Mr. McCarty was as his scowl grew and he tutted and sighed when I interrupted. I had several cases assigned to me already and my first meeting with some new clients was scheduled for the next day. With notes in hand, I made my way back to my office, wondering what the hell was up with Mr. High-and-Mighty-like-God Cullen.

With my office door shut securely and my blinds now closed, I felt safe from the wrath of Edward Cullen, at least for the time being. I'd brought my lunch today, so I decided to avoid any further confrontations and stay out of his way.

At one o'clock, I stopped what I was doing and took out my lunch. It was in a cute little bag that I had purchased while on holiday. Before getting the job at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty, I had taken myself off for four weeks. I had not had a holiday for two years so I handed in my resignation and took myself off to England to visit some of my favourite childhood places.

I went to Wordsworth's grave in Grasmere and visited his school at Hawkshead, a delightful little village at the start of the national park. I'd bought Beatrix Potter memorabilia at the museum. I was in my element when I roamed the hills in Bronte country and could picture every scene from Wuthering Heights when I walked on Ilkley Moor.

I did the usual touristy things and paid my respects to the Queen when I visited Buckingham Palace. Shit, that place was huge. It was whilst in Grasmere in the Lake District that I'd found the lunch bag place and bought several of the ultra-cute lunch bags. I'd given one to Sue, my dad's other half, as well as Alice and Rose, my two best friends.

I'd eventually returned, happy and totally relaxed, and ready to take on the challenge of a new job. Luckily for me, I had not had to wait too long for the position at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty to come up. It seemed like fate was on my side for once.

Rocking in my chair absentmindedly, remembering my recent holiday, I played with the little bag as I ate my lunch. A knock at my door halted my thoughts and I was suddenly full of worry.

"Come in," I said confidently without really feeling it.

The door opened and in walked a very confident Michael Newton.

"Hi, Bella, I wondered if you'd like to go out to lunch. Oh, I see you've brought your own," he sounded a little put out.

"Yeah, I brought something because I didn't know the set-up here. Maybe another time, we'll have to see."

"Look, Bella, about Edward; don't take anything he did or said to heart, he's a grumpy bastard at the best of times, but you challenged him today and I think that kind of threw him. He doesn't seem to handle new people well; he seems to leave that sort of thing to Emmett and Jasper. Look, once he gets used to the idea you're here to stay, he'll come around. You said some thought-provoking stuff in there earlier. You have new ideas that'll move this firm forward and they'd be daft not to listen. Jasper's not stupid; he lets Edward play the big bad wolf from time to time, but he won't let him do it when it makes good business sense, and what you were saying was just that. I'll leave you to finish your lunch. I'm three doors down if you need me."

He'd given me something to think about. I could let Mr. high-and-mighty Cullen get to me, intimidate me from the start, but that would so not be how I operated. Sure, when it came to men and matters of the heart, I was a little shy and less confident, but at work and in my job, I thrived and soared if I was able. I would not let Edward Cullen's scowl worry me. Now that would be a whole new challenge for me because just him entering a room had me quaking in my shoes and made my panties more than a little bit moist, so when you added all that to his scowl...

**EDWARD**

Damnation, the conference call had gone far longer than I had anticipated, bloody Nathalie Oberlauge and her flirting, trying to get her own way. I stuck to my guns in the end, though, and managed to persuade her to see reason. It meant I did not have to fly to Paris until much further into the case, if at all. It meant I was late for the Monday morning meeting. I would have to be late today of all days, when I would be introduced to our newest associate, Isabella Swan.

I knew she had gotten here early. When I'd gone out to grab a coffee earlier, her office light was on. I was impressed, in before everyone else on day one. I hoped we'd work well together. I hesitated returning to my office, thinking I might introduce myself early as it would mean less awkwardness at the meeting, which ultimately meant more business being done. I was just about to knock when I heard her singing. She was actually singing and her voice was not at all what I had expected; it was soft, feminine, and sweet, and I loved the song she was singing, Katy Perry's, _I Kissed a Girl_. Even through the door, I could also smell her perfume. The woman I had imagined did not have the voice of an angel and sing Katy Perry songs, nor did she wear expensive designer perfume. I decided I needed more time to get used to the idea of this new employee. Hidden in the safety of my office once again, I felt secure, yet safe from what, I had no idea.

When I could put it off no longer, I made my way to the boardroom. The door was closed, but I could hear the discussion going on inside from out in the hall. The woman with the voice of an angel was asking pertinent questions, challenging Emmett and Jasper on our practises, offering solutions that were well thought out and practical. I opened the door and walked in.

Shit, fuck, bollocks, and for fucks' sake! I felt a stirring long absent in my groin as my eyes fell immediately on the dark-haired beauty who sat opposite of my two best friends. Her hair was long, well past her shoulders, and thick with the hint of a curl. The colour was a rich brown with mahogany undertones. Her face, like her voice, was like that of an angel. Why, oh, why did she have to look like that? And why did I have to react like this? She was just an employee after all, but she was nothing like I had imagined her to be.

I was in deep trouble here. She was beautiful and intelligent, and I suddenly wanted her like I had never wanted a woman before in my life, which was just absurd because I had only just laid eyes on her. I considered adjusting myself, but I did not want to draw attention to my now-throbbing and very-uncharacteristic erection.

When she stood and leaned over the table to shake my hand, I about jizzed in my pants when her blouse fell forward, giving me an eyeful of her perfect breasts and all that they promised. When our hands touched, the jolt of electricity that shot to my dick scared the shit out of me. I immediately pulled my hand back and looked at my palm in case she had zapped me with something. I was scared, and when I was scared, I got defensive. My whole demeanour changed and I put a scowl on my face. I didn't want her to see my real face, the one that would say something like I'm yours to do with whatever you want. Take me now. I buried a small giggle before it erupted and I embarrassed myself.

Bella continued to probe and challenge, and me, I continued being a dick of the highest degree. I sighed and rolled my eyes at her every disruption. At one point, I thought Emmett was going to deck me. I'd swear he growled when I tutted loudly at her latest question. I watched her leave at the end of the meeting. She had the grace of an angel, too. She stood five-feet-seven or thereabouts, with legs that looked like they went to her armpits.

I was surely dead.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and I noticed Newton staring like I was; he could fucking forget that idea. I would not have any employee shenanigans in my firm. I thought at one point that he and Jessica were up to something, but seeing him ogle Miss Swan like this made me reconsider. A quick glance toward Jess told me she was pissed at him, too.

"What the fuck, Edward? Could you be any more rude?" Emmett growled loudly pushing my shoulder.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Edward, you were a dick. Bella offered some really good ideas and her questions were intelligent and helped her understand the cases. Why would you react like that?" Jasper added questioningly.

"Don't you think it was a little overconfident for someone who's only on their first day? Christ, she'll be after our jobs in no time if we let her have her head like this," I added knowing I sounded like a petulant child.

"You will apologise to her today, Edward. She's going to be a great asset and I don't want to lose her because you're a grumpy bastard. Understood?"

"Are you in charge now?" I asked snidely knowing I was being even more of a dick.

All I got was rolled eyes and then I was alone in the room with Jessica.

"So, do you think I'm a dick?" I asked her knowing she wouldn't hide from the truth.

"You were incredibly rude, Edward, and for no good reason. Bella is…"

"Bella?" I asked at that name again.

"She's Isabella, but she prefers Bella. She asked us to call her Bella earlier. She was great today. It's her first day and she could've just kept quiet and took notes, but she asked good open questions and added some good ideas to the table. You were rude and showed a side of you I don't like. If that's you being a dick, Edward, then I guess I'd have to agree with Emmett and Jasper." She turned on her heel and left.

Shit, maybe I really was a dick. Hell, I needed to apologise to Bella. As I made my way along the hall, I could see that her door opposite to mine was closed and so were her blinds. They weren't earlier, so she had to have closed them on purpose, maybe to keep me out. I skulked back to my own office and closed the door.

I didn't get much work done, though. I rolled my pen over and over in my fingers. My thoughts were only of Isabella Swan. How the hell did this happen? I had dug myself into a deep hole by reacting like I had and I had to put it right before Emmett and Jasper smelled a rat. They knew me too well and would guess in a minute that my reactions to this woman were way off. I vowed once I apologised that I would keep my distance, stay as far away from Isabella Swan as I could.

As I approached my door, I could hear voices; one was the angel's voice. I needed to stop calling her that and thinking of her like that. The other I recognised as Newton. That fucker had been in her office, no doubt wooing and ingratiating himself. I hoped she had the foresight to see through him. I stayed behind my door like the coward I was. Back at my desk, I tried my best to read through witness statements, I needed to get familiar with these for court tomorrow. I was wasting my time, though. Until I apologised, I could not concentrate. I needed to get this over and done with so that I could go back to being me and stay the fuck away from the siren across the office.

It was late afternoon before I plucked up the courage to approach her door again. This time, all was quiet on the inside so I knocked and waited for her to invite me in. I did not wait long.

"Come in."

I opened the door and walked in with a false smile plastered all over my face.

"Miss Swan, do you have a minute?"

"Of course, Mr. Cullen, please, come in. What can I do for you?"

I closed the door behind me, making sure we would not be disturbed.

"I wanted to officially welcome you to the firm, Miss Swan. I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity to say that earlier today. If I came across as rude, I also apologise. I was a little stressed following the conference call and I'm not usually so grouchy, I swear. I'd really like it if we could move on and work together as colleagues. Emmett and Jasper have told me really good things about your resume."

"It's fine, Mr. Cullen, really, you have no need to apologise, and please, call me Bella, Miss Swan is so formal. Was there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, nothing else, Bella, and you must call me Edward."

Slowly, I got up from the seat I had taken and made my way out of her office. With that over and done with, I could finally relax.

Yeah, that was going to be easier said than done…

**So, do you want to strangle him already? Or maybe you have something else in mind?**

**Let me have your thoughts...until next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Firm**

**A special treat for all my lovely readers. Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean the world to me.**

**SM owns I borrow and play**

**DollyBigMomma rocks as beta.**

**Chapter 2**

**BELLA**

I did not see Edward again that week. In fact, the whole week flew by so fast I could hardly believe it when Jessica knocked on my door late on Friday afternoon to tell me she was going home. Everyone else had already gone. He must have gone, too, although I was not so sure he was even in the office today. His schedule was hectic for sure and I knew he was still there working every night when I left, sometimes after eight o'clock.

"Okay, Jessica, thank you, I promise I'll be going shortly, too."

I would, too. I had told Alice and Rose that I would meet them for a drink. I didn't feel like it, but I had promised and it had been a while since we'd been out. I freshened up in my en-suite and quickly changed into the casual clothes I had brought with me for such an occasion. It was only a short walk to the bar we had agreed to meet at. I was exhausted after a long week and could really do with going straight home to bed, never mind a night out with the two black widows. The nickname had stuck for the last few years and I smiled when I used it.

They were already there and by the looks of them, three sheets to the wind. I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the table they had secured. It was only just after eight for Christ sakes and it looked like I would be the one making sure my two friends got home safely. I ordered another round; experience told me the girls were on long island iced teas. I ordered myself a large gin and tonic as I sat down at their table.

"Belly-bub," Alice gurgled not able to keep her eyes straight.

I cringed at her childhood nickname for me. "Hey, Alice, Rose, I can see you started without me." Once again I rolled my eyes.

"You were late so we thought you'd bailed. So how is the new job? Any cute guys you can introduce us to?" Rose asked slurring her words.

They would have a field day if I told them about Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. Shit, even Mike was cute if you liked that sort of man. They would be frequent visitors to my office if they knew. I wouldn't tell them…yet. I needed a few weeks, if not a few months, to get to grips with the three partners before I unleashed these two on an unsuspecting Emmett and Jasper. I would try to keep Edward out of it. Jesus, they would eat him alive.

I sat quietly, nursing my drink while listening to Alice rattle on and on about her latest fashion creation. Rose listened to her for a while before going off on a tangent about the latest model Jaguar or Ford. I knew next to nothing about cars. I owned a C30 Volvo which I'd had for two years. It was a pretty silver colour and I loved it. Beyond that I was clueless.

For years while living at home, I drove my dad's old truck. It was an ancient beast, guzzled gas like I was a billionaire, and never went over forty no matter how hard I put my foot down. Rose loved her cars; she was co-owner of a specialty auto shop with her brother, Jake. He was the body specialist while she was the mechanic. You'd never guess that to look at her. She was the stereotypical blonde bombshell and could have easily featured on the cover of Vogue.

Their attention turned to the bar. I could tell by their tone that they had spotted what they liked to call "man-meat." I casually glanced towards their intended victim and nearly choked on my drink. Edward stood at the bar holding what looked like a JD and Coke, the glass it was in a dead giveaway. He was watching us, or at least me, with a sexy smirk on his face. God, he was beautiful. I groaned internally at the very sight of him. "Get a grip, Bella," I muttered to myself. He was my boss for Christ sakes.

To make sure he didn't come over to say hello, I offered to get another round. It wouldn't do for Rose and Alice to get wind that Edward was at my new work. Stood next to him at the bar, I ordered the same again. While I waited, I turned to my boss and said, "Hello, Edward, what brings you here?"

"Just enjoying a quiet drink after a long week, Miss Swan, you?"

"Same, met up with my best friends. They seem to have spotted you and I would ask that you do not come over and introduce yourself. I haven't told them much about my new workplace yet and I'd like to keep it that way, at least for now."

"Ashamed of us at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty are we, Miss Swan?"

"Of course not!" I almost shouted, panicking a little. "Look, please, it's a long story, perhaps another time."

As the bartender put our drinks on a tray for me to carry back to the table, Edward finished his drink and made his way slowly towards the exit. He didn't even say goodbye. Mental note to self: remember to thank him the next time you see him.

"Here we go, ladies, another round on me, and then it's time to head for home."

"Were you talking to the hottie at the bar, Swan?" Rose asked giggling and leaning into Alice. "Did you say something mean to make him leave? Drive him away from us?" Alice quizzed.

They forgot to wait for my answer they were both so blathered and funny. I had a job and a half getting them home. It was a good job they shared a house. A couple of hours later, I turned onto my block and parked my car. We had all decided it was better for me to be the one to break free of our threesome after college. My job was the more secure and I, unlike those two, liked my little bit of peace and quiet. My place was perfect for that. The three-bed, two-story condo offered me all I could ever need. The rooms were larger than average, light and airy, and it was in a nice part of town. I felt at home and secure here.

The weekend was over before I'd had the chance to do half the things I had wanted to do. A short conversation with Alice and Rose told me they were both suffering the effects of excess alcohol and would be lying low, at least for the time being. I did manage to get my head down and bring myself up to date with all my cases for the coming week. My diary was quite full this week and I noticed that I had a meeting pencilled in with Edward late on Thursday afternoon if he wasn't in court or called away to Paris. One of my cases was looking to go to court. I had requested Edward's expert opinion on the matter and had asked him via email to discuss this with my client.

Monday dawned a little greyer and a lot colder than of late. Once again, I found myself dressing carefully for the weekly meeting. Today I opted for a knitted black dress that finished just above my knees. I matched it with elegant black boots. To break the black theme throughout, I added a vibrant belt around my waist in gold. Admiring myself in the mirror, I commented with a giggle, "Swan, you do scrub up well." I headed out, wanting to get in early, hoping maybe to get the chance to speak to Edward, if he was in today.

I let myself in using my new photo ID swipe card. The security guard nodded at me, recognising me now as first in, last out. I took the lift up this morning, wanting to get to the office as soon as I could.

The lights were dim, still on night mode I assumed. I noticed Edward's office light was not on as I opened my door and let myself in. He wasn't here. I felt the little bubble of excitement that had been in my stomach burst. May be he'd had to go to Europe after all. I felt more than a little flat realising, too, that I might not see him at the meeting this morning or maybe all week.

Sitting down at my desk with a sigh, I set to work. I must have been there over an hour when my door opened and I was no longer alone, he was there.

"Do you ever sleep?" he asked leaning against the door jamb, looking like something that just stepped out of GQ magazine.

"Edward, I didn't realise you were in. I mean your office light was off when I came in so I assumed you wouldn't be in today," I was a stammering stuttering mess.

"Would you like a coffee, Miss Swan? We could chat before the others arrive."

Shit, was he asking to spend some time with me? "Coffee would be lovely, thank you. Latte please," I managed without too much trouble.

He came back a couple of minutes later and made himself at home in the chair opposite mine. Shit, he looked good, and his smell was...

"So, good weekend?" he asked casually.

"Um...busy, and it ended a lot sooner than I would've liked, but good I suppose, yes, and you?"

"Busy, too, I was in here both days. This Paris case is getting really time-consuming now and I need all the extra hours to keep up to speed. So no rest for the wicked, I'm afraid."

"I'll bet your wife or girlfriend just loves your job and the hours you keep. If you ever need another pair of eyes, let me know; I'd be glad to help." Did I really just offer to spend time with him? Duh! What the hell, Swan?

"Thanks for the offer, but I think we work you quite hard enough as it is. In your first week, you must've clocked up over sixty hours. I'm just glad you're salaried and not paid by the hour," he said laughing quietly before he got up to leave.

"See you at the eight thirty, Miss Swan, don't be late," he laughed again as he left my office, hesitating for a moment before closing the door behind him.

Fuck me, I was done for.

**Edward**

I found myself shut up in my office until really late every night. If I was in court during the day, I had to make up some time and nights and weekends were the only time I had. I felt less and less like a human being. I knew my moods were getting more and more morose. I was glad that I had gotten the apology to Bella out of the way before it got too bad. I hadn't seen her since, to speak to that is. I had seen her come and go at ridiculous hours; she was almost as bad as me. Emmett was well-impressed with her dedication and with the work she had done so far. According to him, she was already way ahead of Newton and she'd only been around a week.

My blinds were left open more now, it meant I could see her coming and going during the day. Just the sight of her made me feel human again; well, certain parts of me that is. I had tried and failed to consider what it was about her that had me in pieces. I had my choice of beautiful women who I could call upon at any given time, but none of them stirred me like she did. My hand had not seen as much action in years. Now I was jacking off in the shower at least twice a day. If this didn't stop soon, I would be sore. She was the only thing I looked forward to nowadays.

Friday found me the last one to leave yet again. I knew Bella had left about half an hour ago. I had been in the boardroom when she came out of her office and I was more than a little shocked to see her hesitate by my door, but move on when she realised the lights were out. I pondered on her hesitation near my door; I knew we were practically opposite each other, but still, she didn't have to stop. Did she?

I needed a couple of good stiff drinks thinking about Bella, as her actions were driving me crazy. I stopped off at a local bar on my way home and immediately regretted doing so. Bella was there with two other women, both of whom were totally off their faces. It was quite amusing watching their interactions and watching as Bella tried to control them. I knew when she had clocked me; it was obvious as her whole demeanour changed. She was less relaxed and more cautious, watching between her friends and me. It looked like she was scared I'd talk to her for some reason.

It threw me a bit when she approached the bar. She was stunning, even after being in the office all day; although I did notice she had changed her clothes. She stood next to me and even talked to me which really surprised me. She didn't want me to approach her friends, though, and promised to fill me in later. I'd have to make sure I took her up on that.

Heading out, I glanced back at her. She was watching me and I would swear I saw something familiar in her eyes. It was the same look I got when I looked at her. Shit! Did that mean she was attracted to me, too? No, fuck no, that would never do, I did not allow colleagues to have relationships. It made things difficult when they broke up. No, I refused to allow it. I mean I could hardly enforce such a rule if I were considering it myself, could I?

Saturday and Sunday saw me knee-deep in affidavits and books about French law. It was looking more and more likely that I would have to go Paris. Nathalie called daily now and was insisting my presence was required sooner rather than later. She scared me to death, her constant flirting and sexual innuendos drove me nuts because I had no idea how to handle it. Emmett's idea of flirting right back made me feel sick to my stomach. She was a client for fucks' sake, and forty-five if she was a day.

Sleep deprivation was something I had long lived with, but this was made worse because on the rare occasions that I did sleep, I did not rest. My erotic, no, downright dirty dreams of Isabella Swan had me waking up at all hours in either a cold sweat or covered in jizz. I felt like a thirteen-year-old boy again, having to change my sheets daily due to wet dreams. When would it all stop? Jasper had noticed the purple rings around my eyes and had asked if I was okay. I made the usual excuses, workload, etc. I needed to be more careful.

Now it was Monday again and today I would not be late for our eight thirty. In fact, I was looking forward to it. I stayed an extra few minutes under the shower; I needed it to help me relax. I dressed carefully, opting for a grey Gucci suit. I matched it with a crisp white shirt and matching grey tie. I nodded at my reflection, happy with the effect. It was much later than usual when I walked through the foyer of the building we were in.

Bella's light was on; she was here early once again. I dropped my briefcase off in my office before making my way over to say hello. I shouldn't have, really. I knew it would be bad for me, but I could not resist.

I felt almost giddy when she accepted my offer of a coffee; anyone would have thought she had agreed to marry me given the way my insides were flipping over and over.

We chatted comfortably for a while, but when she mentioned my wife or girlfriend, I felt a blush rise up my body. Did she not know I was single? A thought hit me then; shit, what if she had a significant other? No, surely Jasper or Emmett would have told me.

As the rest of the staff started to arrive, I stood up to take my leave. She actually blushed when I told her not to be late for the eight thirty. When I reached the door, I turned slowly and said just loud enough for her to hear, "Oh, and Bella, I don't have a wife or a girlfriend." She gasped and blushed again as I closed the door behind me.

The thought of Bella's blush kept me smiling as I sat in my office waiting for eight thirty to come around.

**I don't know about you lot, but I want him bad!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Firm**

**This chapter is coming out early as a HUGE thank you to all who read and review this story. You amaze me! If anyone fancies REC'ing this feel free, we'll welcome all onboard. **

**Grateful thanks to SM who owns it all.**

**Love and thanks to DollyBigMomma who is beta.**

**Chapter 3**

**BELLA**

After my blush ebbed, his words suddenly sank in. "I don't have a wife or girlfriend," he had said. Oh, shit, was he telling me this for a reason or just clarifying what I had alluded to earlier? My stomach was now doing somersaults; Edward was single. That meant he was available and he seemed to maybe like me, at least I think he did a little bit. After the initial eight thirty meeting where he had been so rude, he had been nothing but polite and friendly. Professional of course, but I had caught him watching me on more than one occasion. I liked that he looked at me, it made me feel good and I certainly liked looking at him, which I did, often if I was being honest.

Our office doors opened at the same time and I was greeted with his beautiful smile.

"Great minds, eh, Miss Swan? Shall we walk down together? Grab a coffee on the way?"

I nodded and smiled. I did not think I could have spoken. Anything I attempted to say to this man right now would have been gibberish. No, it would not have been attractive, spluttering all over him, so I kept quiet.

We were the first to arrive in the boardroom today. I took a seat on the far side of the table and was more than a little surprised when Edward sat down next to me. How was I going to get through this? Could I be professional and ask credible questions and offer valuable input with him sitting so close? I seriously doubted it.

Emmett and Jasper, followed by Mike and Jessica, soon joined us. Jasper raised his eyebrows a little when he noticed where Edward was sat. Jessica looked confused more than anything and chuntered as she took a seat next to Mike.

It was all business for the next ninety minutes, Edward taking up most of that time filling us in on the French case. I caught on pretty quickly that Edward was having trouble with the flirtatious Ms. Oberlauge. I was surprised that he wasn't lapping up the attention, but he appeared to be genuinely uncomfortable at Emmett's ribbing.

I handled my updates well, forgetting for the moment who was sitting just to my right. Jasper nodded in agreement and thanked me for being so "on the ball" with my work. I blushed all of a sudden, feeling very warm. Edward shuffling in his chair caught my eye. He looked almost as uncomfortable as me and I wondered why. His sudden and speedy departure from the room without a word had us all looking at each other confused.

Edward was shut behind closed doors for the rest of the week. Our late Thursday meeting was cancelled when Edward had to be somewhere else. Even his blinds were closed again. Huh. I liked it when they were open; I could see him and I liked that. He was obviously very busy and stressed out. I sent him an email once again, offering any help I could to lighten his load.

I would swear I heard a groan through his door moments later. I wondered what that was all about. At lunch on Friday, I made my way out of the office. I had a lunch date with Alice. I'd refused another Friday night out. I couldn't handle bumping into Edward again. No way, but lunch I could do.

"Uh, Miss Swan," he said just as I was about to step into the lift.

Hesitating, I turned to face the man with the beautiful voice. "Can I help you, Edward?"

"Are you leaving? I was just about to take you up on your offer."

Shit! Why now for fucks' sake? This was the first time I had left my office since I'd started last week. Every day I'd had lunch at my desk and now today when I had plans, he wanted my help.

"Oh...um, I have a lunch date, but I'll be back in an hour and I can help you then?" I offered enthusiastically.

He looked crestfallen; he looked genuinely upset for a moment before the blank look resurfaced. I momentarily wondered why.

"I'll see you when you get back then, Miss Swan. If I still need help then, I'll buzz you. Enjoy your lunch." And with that, he walked back into his office and closed the door.

What the fuck? I pondered Edward's actions all the way down in the lift and as I walked to the little café Alice had insisted we meet at, claiming their sandwiches were to die for.

Alice being Alice, she picked up on my mood straight away.

"What's up, Swan?" she asked.

"Work, nothing you need to worry yourself over."

"Are you sure because last week you were happy and loving the new job. That didn't last long if it has you looking like this."

"I'm busy, Alice, nothing more, nothing less. So, was there any particular reason you insisted we come here for lunch today?"

"You know me too well, Swan. Last time I was here, there was this fabulous man here, too. I think I fell in love with him there and then. I was kind of hoping he'd be a regular."

"I might have known, Alice. What are you on about? I thought you told me there was no such thing as love at first sight, anyway? So, have you seen him today?"

"Nah, and it's just my luck. He was probably here on business for one day. I don't know, though. I thought we'd connected somehow, Bella. When our eyes met, it was like I'd known him my whole life."

"Jesus, Alice! That sounds like something out of one of Rose's Mills and Boon novels. I thought you were more of a 'fuck 'em and leave 'em' kind of girl?"

"I was…I mean I am, that is if he's never to be found again. Bella, he was so perfect; tall, handsome, with curly blonde hair and smiling blue eyes."

The description sounded vaguely familiar, but I chose not to dwell on it, wanting to hurry back in case Edward needed my help. We hugged and kissed and arranged to talk later or over the weekend. I knew I'd be working over the weekend, though. However, I was hoping to do it at home. I needed to do some household chores, too. My condo had been seriously neglected and I had to remedy that.

As I made my way back to the office, my stomach started to knot, and by the time I entered the foyer, I felt sick, my BLT on rye fast making its way back up my gullet. Now that would really be attractive, throwing up all over the poor guy. Way to go, Bella.

I need not have worried, though. He was gone when I knocked on his door a few minutes later to let him know I was back.

"If you're looking for Edward, he's gone; he had a meeting downtown with a client. He won't be back today. Can I help with anything?" Jessica asked.

"No, that's fine, Jessica, I just wanted to let him know I was back from lunch. I'd offered him my assistance earlier."

"You'll be glad you missed him today, he went out of here like a bull in a china shop. He was slamming and banging in there like a five-year-old having a tantrum. He was okay earlier, then POW. Good job you went to lunch when you did or you might've been in his firing line."

Edward's moods, I'd learned pretty quickly, were famous around here. People dived for cover at the first sign he was about to erupt. I was almost glad it wasn't only me he took his moods out on.

The afternoon flew by and I was far too busy to dwell on Edward and his moods. An urgent call from one of my clients had me arranging a last-minute meeting. It was well after eight when I finally packed up to leave. As I did, I noticed there was still no sign of life from the office opposite.

**EDWARD**

I chuckled to myself as I closed her door. She was beetroot red at my words. I left her to let them sink in. Her blush caused my dick to come alive. It wanted to find out how far down the blush went. I did, too.

Just before eight thirty, she opened her door at the same time I did. We walked to the meeting together, chatting casually. It was nice. I sat by her on the same side of the large table, opposite to where I usually sat with Jasper and Emmett. Fuck them, there were no rules about where we sat was there? Jasper's raised eyebrow when he entered the room almost made me regret my decision; almost, but not quite, especially since every so often, I got a waft of her perfume. My dick stirred. I needed to get a grip.

The meeting was more or less my show today. Nathalie Oberlauge was giving me more than a headache with her suggestive flirting. Emmett thought it was hilarious. When Jasper thanked Bella for being on the ball so soon with her cases and she blushed and smiled shyly, I nearly came in my pants. Without a word, I got up and left, leaving them all in my wake, unsure what had happened. I could tell you what had happened. I was pitching a tent the size of the Eiffel Tower, Miss Swan's blush saw to that. It would do me and Bella no good at all for Emmett to witness that. So I left. End of story.

Like the coward I was, I stayed hidden in my office and even closed the blinds for the rest of the week. I knew I had cut off my nose to spite my face because now I didn't get to see her come and go, either. I just couldn't, though; I was getting further and further behind with my paperwork. All I could think about was her, she was killing me and I think I liked it.

I was gutted when I had to cancel our meeting on Thursday. I had been hanging on to that all week. Now I had to be across town in a meeting with a judge who didn't like me, thought I was too cocky. He wanted to give me the hard word before we got face to face in the courtroom.

When Bella sent me an email offering her help again, I almost did a victory dance. I was going to take her up on her offer for sure. Two sets of eyes reading depositions were better than one. I could really do with some help and it was all the sweeter if it was the lovely Miss Swan.

Her office was empty and I wondered where she was. Jess told me she was headed out so I quickly followed and just managed to catch her before she got into the lift.

Her words, "I have a lunch date," pierced my heart. What the fuck? A date? I could not help my facial expression being one of defeat. It would appear I had lost her before I'd really even had her. Her, "I'll be back in an hour," offered me no consolation. I did not wait to see her enter the lift. I stormed back to my office and slammed the door. The pictures on my walls shook. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I shouted not caring who could hear me.

For the next thirty minutes, I paced back and forth, pens and paperweights thrown at the walls, images of her with some faceless man, laughing, touching his arm, kissing even, assaulted me. That thought made me feel sick. I knew I was pathetic, but I was helpless to do anything about it. I needed to get out of here, before she returned all loved up. I suddenly felt like I really was going to be sick. A small knock at my door stopped me dead.

"Who is it? I'm busy."

The door slowly opened and Jess poked her head inside.

"Are you okay in here? I thought I heard something crash," she said then looked around. "Oh, I did. Edward, are you okay?" she nodded toward the now-littered floor of my office.

"Just leave me alone, Jess, I'm fine. I'm going out shortly and I won't be back today." She turned to leave, but I shouted her back. "Where's the Dolan file? I asked for it to be on my desk this morning. Can you do nothing that I ask?" I knew I was being totally unreasonable. Jess had never been anything less than helpful and always fulfilled her duties to the letter. I suddenly remembered the file had been on my desk earlier as requested and it was now sitting in my briefcase. I was an arse, what could I say.

She stuttered and stammered her reply. I ignored her, grabbing my jacket and pushing past her and out of the office. Guilt ate away at me; someone else I'd need to apologise to now. The taxi took me home; I did not have a meeting. Jess knew this, but I could not be there and see her knowing she had been out with another man for lunch. I tore at my hair, wondering what the fuck I was going to do from here. I had a light bulb moment about an hour later.

_Paris, here I come…_

**Okay, so ducking for cover now. **

**Don't kill me; I did warn you! I'd still do him though, wouldn't you?**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Firm**

**Okay so I just wanted to say a few words before you read on. OMFG, over 100 reviews already, Wow just wow and thank you so much. So pleased you guys are loving this story.**

**Just so you all know too, ff does not allow the correct use of email addresses so I have improvised. Bloody stupid ff.**

**One of the questions I've had is "Is he going to do something in Paris he might regret?" No he isn't, I can guarantee you that. He might be an idiot but he's not that much of an idiot. **

**DollyBigMomma rocks as beta. **

**SM owns the whole show.**

**Chapter 4**

**BELLA**

Monday soon came around and once again and I found myself rooted in front of my wardrobe, looking through the pathetic selection of clothes I had available to me. I had already worn all my best stuff, and without having to out my crush on Edward to Alice, I would have to wear something he had already seen. Not good, definitely not good. After what seemed like an age, I finally settled on a smart navy pin-stripe skirt suit. I matched it with a baby blue cotton blouse. "Not half bad, if I do say so myself," I nodded to my refection in the mirror.

Once again, I was the first to arrive. The security man, Quil, knew my routine now and made a point of greeting me with a short ditty; usually about the weather or someone being rude to him. It always guaranteed me smiling as I exited the lift on the executive floor. Edward's office was once again dark. I had no idea what his diary would be like this week. I hoped he'd rearranged that meeting he'd had to cancel. My client could really do with his expertise. I had sung Edward's praises sufficiently so as to convince my client that he needed an expert's advice. Edward was just the expert I had in mind.

I heard rather than saw the office start to come alive; Jessica's nasally laughter when Emmett walked past, making a crude comment, Jasper's cheery whistle as he walked happily to his office. Edward would be here soon if he wasn't already. I was positively giddy at the thought of seeing him again.

As a conscientious employee, not to mention being eager to see one of my bosses, I hurriedly made my way to the boardroom. I was the first to arrive and made myself comfortable opposite the door so I could see when he arrived. I knew I was pathetic, but I really couldn't help it.

Mike was the next to arrive and I cringed when he took up a seat next to me. Jasper came in before Mike could talk and asked for help to set up the video conferencing equipment. I wondered absentmindedly what that was for. Mike and Jasper kept busy plugging in scart leads and testing the picture on the state-of-the-art screen that they had wheeled in moments before. Before I could ask what it was all in aid of, Jessica came in, saying Edward was ready whenever we were. My mind went numb. "Edward is ready for what?" I asked myself.

The screen flickered to life and after a few seconds of static and zigzag lines, Edward appeared in front of me on the screen. What the fuck? Where the hell was he? He was not here, obviously. Jessica leaned over to me and passed me an agenda which I browsed. Agenda point one had my eyes popping out on sticks and I felt sick. Edward was to give a full video conference update…from Paris.

Paris? What the fuck? He was in Paris? When? Why? All of these questions sprang to mind and my previously good mood slumped realising that he was so far away. Emmett directing our attention to the screen brought me out of my stupor-come-shock.

"Okay, everyone, let's get this show on the road. Edward, what time is it over there?"

"Good morning, everyone, it's a little after five o'clock in the afternoon here. I hope you don't mind if I update you like this, but it seemed like the best way to touch base and for me to not miss out on too much."

"So, how long will you be there for, Edward?" Jessica asked and my ears pricked up when he started to reply.

"I have no idea, at least a week, maybe longer. I really don't know. I've asked a colleague who works independently to take over any urgent court dates I might miss. He's covered for me before and is pretty good, if I do say so myself. Miss Swan, if you want to set up a meeting with Seth for your client, I'm sure he'll be happy to step into the breach in my absence. So, you guys, the floor is all yours."

He sat back and listened intently as Jasper and Emmett talked about their cases and some potential new ones. Mike followed before it was my turn. I tried not to look at him; I did not want to see him looking back at me when he was so far away. I finished my round up in record time and excused myself from the boardroom before Edward signed off. Back in the safety of my office, I slumped into my chair. How the hell did this happen? First was the disappearing act on Friday after his mood turned sour while I was out to lunch, and now there was his sudden departure to Paris. I mean I had known since day one that it was a possibility he would have to go to Paris, but I also knew how reluctant Edward had been to go. Nathalie Oberlauge's flirting had put him off, or so I thought.

My MacBook pinged annoyingly, letting me know I had an email. I considered switching the damn thing off and going home for the day, but being the bigger person, I didn't. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face my laptop and accessed my email account.

_**To: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**From: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**Are you alright? You seemed strange in this morning's meeting, quieter than usual and I'd like to ask why?**_

_**Seth Clearwater will be in touch about meeting your client. I took the liberty of giving him your email details.**_

_**Make sure Newton pulls his weight while I'm away. I'm trusting you to keep him a) in line and b) on top of his cases.**_

_**Email me if you need to, see you next Monday if not before, although I think it'll be via the link again.**_

_**Regards,**_

_**Edward AM Cullen.**_

So he thought I'd seemed strange did he? So that meant he must have been looking I guess. I read and reread his email, looking for clues, any clue that he was missing me or that he cared about me. I gave up and responded so he could not say I had ignored him.

_**To: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**From: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**I'm fine, a little tired maybe, but thank you for asking.**_

_**Consider Mike on my watch list as far as his cases are concerned. With regard to keeping him in line, that's not in my job description.**_

_**Thank you for asking your friend to see my client, I'll look forward to hearing from him.**_

_**Regards,**_

_**Bella Swan**_

I debated long and hard before sending it. Was it too formal? Yes, probably, but I was pissed off, seriously pissed off. I had really been looking forward to today and then bang, up in a puff of smoke. I considered adding something about seeing him next week via the screen, but opted against it. I wanted to see him in the flesh, not on a fucking TV screen all the way from gay Paris. I pressed send before I could change my mind.

Nathalie fucking Oberlauge better have been behaving herself. I really didn't want to hear Emmett's version of her seduction techniques. I was getting more and more pissed off when my email pinged again. If that was Edward, he could fucking wait. I flounced out of my office and announced to a surprised Jessica that I would be back in an hour or so. I needed to get out of there. A quick call to Alice had me setting off towards her favourite café for a much-needed strong coffee.

**EDWARD**

The flight was horrendous. Because it had been all so last minute, first class was full and I had to settle for business class. I was seated next to the most obnoxious Frenchman imaginable. He droned on and on, about anything and everything. Was there anything he didn't have an opinion on? Apparently not. Thankfully, I closed my eyes and drifted into a restless sleep, my fitful slumber offering me no escape from her chocolate brown eyes, her lethal smile, or her confounding blush.

By the time the plane touched down in a cold wet Paris, I was more than a little pissed off. Had this knee-jerk reaction been the right thing to do? I didn't even know. A chauffeur held up a card with my name written proudly in black. He showed me where the car was and offered to take my bags. I followed him slowly; I did not have the energy to keep up. I needed a bed, and any bed would do at this rate.

My hotel suite was simple yet elegant and I immediately began to relax. I knew the phone call to Jasper and Emmett tomorrow would not be easy. I had been putting off coming here for so long now that they would be sure to smell a rat.

It actually went much easier than I'd expected, though. Jasper even said he was surprised I had resisted for so long. Resisted? No, Jasper was put off, I thought to myself. When they suggested I attend the Monday meeting via video conference, I almost shouted "hell no." It was too soon to see her, I did not want to see in her eyes the pleasure she had experienced over the weekend. Seeing a carefree, in love Bella would rip my guts out and I needed to work out why. I reluctantly agreed to think about it, the time difference possibly being my savings grace.

Sunday gave me time to think over Jasper's suggestion; could I do it? See her from so far away? Of course I could. Jesus, I hardly knew the girl and even I was getting on my nerves with all the moping shit. I rattled off a quick email, agreeing to be online at nine o'clock Monday morning.

Nathalie had also been surprised by my sudden appearance. I managed to decline her invitation to dinner, but promised to be in her office bright and early Monday morning. I hoped my jetlag would be gone by then. After a stroll along the Seine, I headed back to the hotel. I had a meeting with Nathalie and her team first thing Monday Paris time and I needed to be on the ball. Someone in her organisation was selling her down the Swanee and I intended to find out whom. She was paying me big bucks to solve this riddle for her, the least I could do after refusing her advances was to uncover her mole and get them in court as soon as was humanly possible.

Four hours later, I had a headache, literally and figuratively. Whoever they were, they were good. All of the board members and senior managers seemed to be on board.

They all appeared to genuinely care for Nathalie and the company. Fuck if I had any ideas at this stage. If they did not show their hands soon, I might find myself stuck here for a while.

As five o'clock approached, I prepared for the video conference call. The all-too-familiar boardroom at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty came into view. A little fuzzy at first, it cleared and there she was. She looked a little confused and upset to see me on screen. I tried my hardest not to just sit and stare at her. Shit, I thought I would feel better being so far away, but just looking at her hurt. She was so beautiful and I realised then that I was completely fucked every which way.

I would swear she flinched a little when I announced the time locally. She was quiet today, much quieter than she usually was. There were no challenges, no questions so that she understood fully. Nothing, nada. There was something wrong and I longed to ask her what, see if I could help. Her swift departure without so much as a quick glance had me really worried. Saying a quick goodbye to Emmett and Jasper with the promise of keeping in touch daily, I signed off and headed back to my borrowed office.

Pulling out my phone, I hesitated; that would have been too personal and I would have struggled to string a sentence together. No, an email was a much better idea.

I kept it fairly formal, but I asked her if she was okay. I wanted her to know I had seen the difference in her. Would she tell me if she'd had a lover's tiff? I seriously doubted it. However, her curt response shocked me. Shit, she was either pissed at me or something was seriously wrong. She hadn't even mentioned seeing me again, nor did she ask how I was. Then again, why would she?

I looked at her email on my screen for an age. I ached to pick up the phone and speak to her in person. Twice I started to dial, only to realise what I was doing and hung up. This girl had me in a flat spin and I was too far away right now to do anything about it.

Unable to resist, I compiled another email to her.

_**To: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**From: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**So, Miss Swan, your email did nothing to confirm to me that you're alright. Tired? You've been burning the candle at both ends over the weekend have you?**_

_**You're usually far more vocal in our Monday meetings. I've noticed that you know.**_

_**Is that offer of an extra pair of eyes still on the table? While I'm away, I could do with a little help reading through any documents that come in for me. If you're still willing, I can get Jess to divert them to you. I would owe you big if you could see your way to helping. I have no idea when I'm going to be able to get back. Things here are tense and the mole is staying well and truly underground.**_

_**Feel free to call me if you need or want to, but remember the eight hour time difference. I do try to sleep at night, sometimes.**_

_**I look forward to hearing from you soon.**_

_**Edward**_

This time I had been much friendlier and I hoped it would coax a more friendly response from Bella. I sat and waited for her to reply. I waited and waited. May be she'd had an appointment. A quick check of the firm's online diary let me know she did not. An hour later, I called Jess and asked to be put through to Bella. This was bullshit and I needed to have it out with her before I went mad. I picked up my phone before I could think otherwise.

"Jess, put me through to Miss Swan, please," I asked.

"Oh, Edward, she's not here. She went out a while ago, saying she'd be back later. Can I give her a message? Have her call you?"

What the fuck, where the hell was she on work time? I seethed silently, pondering my response.

"By all means, tell her I called, but do not have her call me back tonight, I have a dinner date. I'll talk to you soon, Jess, thanks."

I hung up feeling deflated and angry with both myself and Bella. I did not, of course, have a dinner date. I was just being petty, saying that I did. But seriously, she was "out of the office" during office hours? This was a first and I was pissed off about it. I did not begrudge her an odd hour here and there, I mean she did give more than most, but shit, I wanted to know where she was, who she was with, and if she had even read my last email. I guess I would have to wait.

**So what do you think? Show me the love...**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Firm**

**I really do not know what to say. So many new readers and reviewers. Welcome to each and every one of you, great to have you onboard. Sorry I have not been able to reply to each individual review, too many to get to. This note hopefully makes up for this massive fail. I appreciate each and every review, I cannot tell you just how much. I love that you all are so invested as I am and we're only a little way in.**

**Thanks as always to Dollybigmomma whose magic red pen works wonders.**

**Thanks to Stephenie Meyer who owns all that is the wonderful Twilight.**

**Chapter 5**

**BELLA**

I flounced into the coffee shop, not caring who or what I barged into on my way to get to Alice. She was already there, thank god. I needed to off-load about Edward. I needed to tell someone before I exploded for sure.

"Hi, Alice; thanks for coming on such short notice," I greeted her as threw myself into the seat opposite her.

"Your mayday calls don't come very often, Swan; in fact, I don't recall ever getting one before, so I assume it's serious and you need my help. That is, after all, what friends are for, right? So, what's up? Are you okay? You've not lost your job have you? Given one of the bosses a piece of your mind?"

I had to laugh, she knew me so well. She knew I did not suffer fools gladly and really struggled to keep my mouth shut. It had gotten me into more trouble over the years than anything else.

"No, Alice, I still have a job, or at least I think I do after walking out in the middle of the day. No, my problem is of a more personal nature and I don't know if I'm okay. I can't believe I'm telling you this, telling anyone this, actually."

"Bella, what is it? You're scaring me." Poor Alice looked really concerned. She was going to be pissed when she found out all of this was over a man.

"Okay, so don't be pissed." I took a deep breath and told her all about Edward. Our first meeting, the electric shock, how breathtakingly handsome he was, and also how he infuriated me by blowing hot and cold.

Alice's mouth remained open for the duration of my speech. I dared not stop and let her in; she was going to eat me alive, chew me up and spit me right out. We girls had always told each other everything and I'd held out on them. I didn't do crushes, everyone knew that. This was so not me and that was one of the reasons I had kept this, whatever the fuck it was, quiet until now.

"So what should I do? How do I react to him going forward?" I asked her hoping she would go easy on me.

"Did you not think to talk to Rose and me about this Edward person before? Surely after that first day, when the spark was evident, you could've said something."

"I didn't realise it was more than just an electric shock, Alice. You know I don't react well around men. This is totally confusing for me. One minute he's friendly and the next he's being a dick. He's emailed me today to ask if I'm okay. I was a little taken aback this morning during the meeting, he being in Paris and all without notice. I was quieter than I usually am. He noticed, and then sent me an email. Cheeky fucker asked me to keep the other associate in line. Then he sent another email, this one less formal and said I could call him anytime. What the hell is he playing at, Alice? I don't know how to deal with men at the best of times on a personal level, but ones like him; he's a danger to me, my career, and my sanity. What do I do? Please, Alice, tell me what to do."

"His last email was personal you say? It sounds to me like he doesn't want to see you upset. You said it was always a possibility that he'd have to go to Paris. If that's the case, why are you so perturbed?"

"Nathalie Oberlauge, in a nutshell."

"Nathalie who?" Alice asked confused.

"Edward didn't want to go to Paris because Ms. Oberlauge is an oversexed cougar who was making sexual innuendos at every opportunity and I think Edward was scared of her hitting on him in person. That's what seems so strange. While I know it was always a distinct possibility he'd have to go, he really didn't want to. So for him to just up and go on such short notice…it just doesn't make any sense."

"Okay, we'll talk about this more later. I need to get back to work. In the meantime, go back to the office, reply to his email, and be nice and friendly while keeping it professional. He can't find fault with that. Look, I really do have to go. We'll get together with Rose later in the week. I'll text you with the details. Love you, Swan," she said as she got up to leave.

"Love you, too, Alice, and thanks for the advice."

"You do realise that Rose is going to have very strong opinions on all of this when you tell her, Bella. She's not going to be happy that she's the last to find out that her best friend has been keeping things from her. Especially something like a man crush."

I sighed heavily. I knew she was right.

I headed back, wondering how Jessica was going to react to my being gone for a couple of hours during the day.

She wasn't at her desk when I exited the lift, thank god. I skulked into my office unnoticed. The first thing I saw was a message from Jessica telling me that Edward had called. Shit, that meant he knew I had gone AWOL. I decided I had better respond to his email. What time would it be in France now I wondered? A quick glance at my watch told me it was a little after one o'clock in the afternoon here; that meant it would be after nine o'clock at night there. I wondered if he would be still online or even working.

_**To: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**From: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm also sorry my previous email did nothing to alleviate your concerns about me not being happy. I assure you that I'm fine.**_

_**I'd be more than happy to look over any paperwork you feel is urgent. I could always email you my thoughts, highlighting any concerns, etc. Have Jessica redirect anything you want me to look at. I'm sure you'll be able to offer me some assistance at some point in the near future. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you sort things out in Paris sooner rather than later.**_

_**I've added my mobile number to this email so that you can call me if you need or want to. I promise I will not disturb your sleep. Don't want you any grumpier than you already are!**_

_**Bella**_

I considered removing the last sentence, was it too much? Was it disrespectful? I hoped he would take it in the manner in which it was meant, as a light-hearted jibe at his somewhat challenging behaviour. I pressed send before I could change my mind.

**EDWARD**

I had almost given up for the night, there was no dinner date. I was being a prick as usual when I added the glib comment to Jessica. Nathalie's team and I had eaten in the office earlier and now I was back in my hotel suite alone and still seething over Bella's disappearing act.

Phone calls to both Emmett and Jasper did not shed any light on her whereabouts. If she had gone off to sort her love life out on work time, I would be more than a little pissed.

Just as I was about to log off and shut down for the night, my email pinged, letting me know I had a message. Surprise, surprise, it was from Bella.

It was much friendlier than her last one, a little too friendly if I decided to take offence at her last sentence. However, it brought a smile to my face. She was right; I was a grumpy bastard, with or without sleep. She didn't mention where she had been. I pondered whether I should I ask her.

I was glad she would look over all my paperwork while I was away. It would stop me worrying, knowing that someone with her attitude about her work was keeping on top of things for me. She had also given me her mobile number in case I needed or wanted to ring her. I wanted to ring her now, but I hesitated, knowing I would struggle to keep things on a professional level. I knew I would ask her where she had been for two hours earlier when she should have been working. No, I decided I had better keep our correspondence to emails for now. I decided to drop her a quick thank you. I no sooner seemed to have pressed send when my Blackberry rang.

"Edward Cullen."

"Edward, it's me, Bella. I hope it's not too late to call. I just received your email so I presumed you were still awake."

"Wide awake, so what can I do for you, Ms. Swan?" I could have kicked myself for going back to the formality of her full name.

"Oh…um…" Shit, I'd thrown her by being so formal. "I just wanted to let you know that Seth contacted my client and we have a meeting set up for later this week. Thank you for doing that, and don't forget to ask Jessica to forward me all your paperwork that you want me to look over."

"I've emailed Jess already, Bella. It should start coming through to you tomorrow. Let me know if I overload you; don't forget, you have your own cases to deal with, too. Thanks for doing this by the way. I owe you big-style."

"Edward, is that not what colleagues do for each other? Cover each other's backs? Look, it's already late where you are and I don't want to be held responsible for your lack of sleep and grumpy mood tomorrow so I'll say goodnight."

"That's twice you've called me a grumpy bastard today, Bella. I could take offence you know, even though I know it's true." She laughed quietly and that little tinkle of laughter went straight to my dick. "I'm not tired. We can talk some more if you'd like?"

"Oh, okay, so tell me how the case is going. You said the mole was keeping his or her head down. Any further progress forward?"

"I think we made some progress today. The rate at which information is being leaked seems to have slowed since I arrived so I guess we'll see."

"And how is Ms. Oberlauge treating you?" she asked quietly.

"Well, apart from her continued flirting and her propositioning me at every opportunity, okay I guess. She's pissed about the leaks and wants to get to the bottom of it."

"You don't have to put up with her treating you like that, Edward. What she's doing is sexual harassment and you could sue, surely she knows that. At least have someone else take over the case for you. I'd do it for you. I'd be willing to take on the case."

"You'd do that? Come to France just like that? What would your husband or partner say about that?"

"I'd do it if it continues to make you feel uncomfortable, it's not right and I don't like that she makes you feel like that, she shouldn't treat anyone with so little respect. And Edward, there's no husband, I'm not married."

"Your boyfriend then?" I asked fishing a little more.

"No, I don't have one of those, either. Like you, I'm too busy with work. Look, Edward, I really need to get on, I had a long lunch today. I needed to see a friend about something important. That was why I wasn't here when you called earlier. I'm sorry; I'll make the time up and it won't happen again."

I breathed a sigh of relief; no husband, no boyfriend, and she was with a friend before. With a smile on my face, I told her, "Bella, I think you've more than made up your time already. If you're sure everything is okay with you, let's just forget it, okay?"

"Okay, thank you, and like I said before, Edward, I'm fine, really."

"Okay, well, then goodnight, Bella. Don't work too late and thanks for the call. It's nice to talk to someone from back home."

"Goodnight, Edward, it's been nice talking to you, too."

The silence after she hung up pounded in my ears. She was single, no husband, and no boyfriend. I wondered again, why did I insist on a no-fraternization policy in the office?

I slept well that night, my dreams all of one Ms. Isabella Swan. Bella, it suited her; beautiful, that she was.

I had to stay away from her, though. If we worked closely together, I was not going to be able to resist my feelings for her and that would be a disaster. I did not do relationships and I just knew Bella was not the casual sex sort of girl. Heck, even I would want more than casual sex with her. I would have to give some serious thought to transferring the Paris case to her like she had suggested. It would certainly kill two birds with one stone. Hmm, I'd ponder on that some more. Would distance between us be the answer I was looking for?

The next day, I hinted to Nathalie that a colleague might take over if I had to go back to the states. She didn't seem impressed, swearing in French about how much having me on retainer was costing her and now she was being cast aside. I rolled my eyes at her typical French overdramatic reaction.

Emmett and Jasper were none too pleased, either, when I dropped Bella's suggestion into our daily conversation.

"No, Edward, definitely not; she's needed here. She's doing a great job and for once we're on top of all our cases. She makes Newton look like he's still in college. She stays here, we'll consider another alternative if necessary," Jasper argued. We would see, I thought to myself.

I had gotten a couple of emails during the day from her. All were work-related and I sulked like the petulant child I was when I saw there was nothing personal in them, not even an inquiry as to my health or even a hello. Nothing. I decided to be a prick again and ignored her. I did not even send her a thank you for doing my work while I was not there. There was really nothing I could say anyway other than to acknowledge what she had told me.

Grumpy didn't even cover how bad my mood was today. Poor Nathalie, I thought I might have scared her half to death with my ranting and raving, my foul language, and general scowl-ridden face. Maybe this would put her off propositioning me. Her later email let me know it hadn't. She thought I was even sexier when I was angry. For fucks' sake, my black moods were enough to scare anyone else away, why not her?

The week flew by and I did not speak to Bella again. She sent emails daily, updating on me anything she thought I needed to know. Her emails were polite and all work, very professional; I could not fault her work. She was efficient and had brought herself up to date on all the cases I had asked her to keep an eye on. I responded accordingly. We were both as bad as each other. My mood got blacker and blacker. I missed her, I missed her sassy air of confidence, I missed her chocolate brown eyes that drew me in, and I missed listening to her voice; what the fuck was all that about? I had only made her acquaintance recently; how the fuck could I miss her so badly?

"Cullen, you're so fucked if you give in to this," I told myself, making me more determined to stay the hell away from her. I was convinced she had cast some sort of spell on me. I'd never, ever had a reaction like this to a woman before. It scared me shitless and went against all I believed in. I did not know what to do.

To say I was royally fucked would have been putting it mildly.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Firm**

**SM owns, Dolly and I borrow and play. Thanks DollyBigMomma!**

**This is a little extra thank you for all those who read and review. It's a holiday weekend here in the UK so I had a little extra time. Hope you enjoy. Don't forget to let me know.**

**Chapter 6**

**BELLA**

The conversation with Edward was nice; no, it was more than nice. It was comfortable and I didn't want it to end. I knew it was late over in France so I knew I had to end the call sooner rather than later. I wanted to rip Nathalie Oberlauge a new one after Edward confirmed her continued harassment of him. When I had offered my own services, I did not think for a minute he would really consider me as an alternative. I mean I was new to the firm, untested as far as Edward was concerned. I had been with the firm for all of a couple of weeks and yes, I had put the hours in, but I had not been tested yet. Not really.

Rosalie had not been best pleased with me and that was putting it mildly. We'd met at their place on Thursday evening. Alice cooked, if that was what you would have called her offering. I had other names for it, none of which were particularly polite. We ate in silence, Rose and I giving each other sly glances while we pushed what was supposed to be chicken a la king around our plates. When I had opened up a little earlier and told her all about Edward, she threw an absolute fit and I wanted to duck for cover. She wanted to confront him over his moods and ask him what the hell his problem was. Her protective best friend persona came out in full force, and you could believe it when I said she was a force to be reckoned with.

"Bella, I'm very disappointed that you felt unable to confide in us. We've been friends for years now and I thought we had the sort of relationship that meant we could talk to each other about anything, especially men."

"Rose, I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to try to get it all sorted out myself, straighten it out in my own mind before I talked about it. Shit, even now I still don't know what the hell's going on. He's in France, I'm here, and we haven't spoken in a couple of days. It's all been very polite, professional, all work. Who knows, maybe this is all in my head. Right now, I have no fucking idea."

"It's not like you to react like this to a man, Bella, so he must be pretty special," she added questioningly.

"You have no idea, Rose, you have no idea," I told her shaking my head with a wry smile on my face, an image of the man himself flashing before my eyes deep from inside my mind.

"I Googled him, Bella, sorry," Alice added. "He's pretty hot; he has that air of arrogance about him. I thought I recognised him from somewhere, though. I've been racking my brains to think from where. Then it came to me, he was in the pub the other Friday, he was the hottie at the bar, the one you scared off. Now we know why, you wanted to keep him for yourself."

"Alice, I was going to tell you about the partners, I swear, I just wanted to get settled first. Then when he turned up at the bar and you two were steaming already, I politely asked him not to come over and say hello. I was going to tell you about Edward, Emmett, and Jasper, just not yet. Edward is pretty amazing to look at, I agree, but it's more than that. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'd say it's the whole package, and I don't want any smutty comments from either of you on the pun. He's special, and whether we end up taking this, whatever this is, somewhere or not, I'd like to think we can be friends at the very least."

"According to the internet, he doesn't do relationships, has a different woman on his arm for every event he attends. The same one has never been seen twice. One night stands are his speciality, if you care to believe all you read. You don't do men or relationships, Bella, never mind one night stands." She stopped suddenly mid-flow. "Sorry, did you say partners, as in multiple? Does that mean there's more than just your Edward Cullen? Were you going to try and keep them all to yourself, Bella?"

"I don't care to read about his private life, Alice. He told me himself he didn't have a significant other. And yes, Jasper Hale and Emmett McCarty, they make up the other partners. I was going to tell you, honestly."

"How the hell did that conversation come up?" Rose shouted mentioning my conversation with Edward and laughing at my mortification.

"We were talking about the long hours he keeps. I think I made some sarcastic comment about his wife or girlfriend loving the hours he works. He said he didn't have either. It was no biggy at the time. Last time I spoke to him, he mentioned something similar about me. I told him I have no one, either."

"You're both free and single, so what's stopping you from getting together? Then you could introduce us to the other two partners and boom, all of a sudden we're all spoken for."

"Well, for one thing, I might be reading way too much into this. He might just be trying to make a new employee feel at home. Oh, and then he's my boss, and the biggest reason of all is a strict no-fraternization policy in the contract. So sorry, girls, no partners for you two, either."

"Who the fuck insisted on that policy?" Rose asked no longer laughing.

"Well, I guess it must've been the three partners, although from what I know of Jasper and Emmett so far, they're not like Edward in any way; they're much more relaxed. Sure, they work hard and know their stuff, but they don't put in the hours like Edward does and they don't do the court appearances like Edward does. I'm guessing it was Edward's way of keeping everything in the office professional, no distractions."

"He sounds boring," Alice added yawning loudly.

That was my cue to leave. We hugged goodnight and I made my way home. When I turned my phone back on, I was a little disappointed to see that I had no messages and no missed calls. I decided to stay up for a while and read through some of the paperwork for Edward that Jessica had sent me today. I curled up on my sofa with a large glass of red wine.

I woke up a couple of hours later. My MacBook had gone into sleep mode, saving power. I was relieved to see that my glass was empty; I could not even remember finishing it off. I made my way to the bedroom. It was a little after one o'clock and I had to be up in five hours. I was restless and I tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. All I could see every time I closed my eyes was Edward's beautiful face, his soulful eyes penetrating deep into me. I felt more than a little frustrated and needed to release some tension. I had just the thing to help...

**EDWARD**

It had been a few days since I had spoken to Bella. My fingers had twitched over her number in my phone on more than one occasion, but I resisted. Instead, I made myself miserable, insisting that staying away from her was the only option. I was even grumpier now than before. I was sick of Paris and even sicker of Nathalie Oberlauge and her wandering hands. I just wanted to go home. I truly felt like a petulant child with my internal whining.

"Jasper, I need to come back, but things are still pretty tense here. Will you please reconsider allowing Bella to take my place here? She's already said she'd be happy to do it and it seems like the perfect solution to me. Even for a little while?"

"No, Edward, absolutely not, she has more than enough of her own cases here that need her attention without giving her even more to do in France. Look, come back if you need to and we'll see about someone else going back instead of you if it's really necessary."

"Of course it's necessary, Jasper. Jesus, Nathalie pays a hefty amount each year to keep us on retainer; we really don't want to lose that level of guaranteed income by pissing her off. I think she's already a little miffed at my continued rejection of her advances."

"She's still after your body then? Are you sure little Edward's not interested?"

"You could say that. I'm scared to get in the lift on my own in case she pounces. She's persistent, I'll give her that, and no, neither big nor little Edward is interested. For fucks' sake, Jasper, what do you take me for?"

"And there's no chance you could bang her just to keep her sweet?" Jasper half laughed.

"No fucking way, and I hope you're joking. Look, Jasper, seeing how she works makes her even more unattractive than I thought. She and I doing anything physical is a definite no. I doubt my dick would even rise to the occasion, so enough said about that." He laughed some more, but then changed the subject.

"So, Bella's been doing some paperwork for you? How is that working out?"

"Fine, I guess. She updates me by email daily. She's doing a good job."

"So you've gotten over your little tantrum with her?"

"What tantrum? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You know, her first day, being rude to her and all that in the meeting."

"Oh, yeah...I apologised, she accepted, and we moved on. So what am I missing over there? Is Newton pulling his weight? I asked Bella to make sure he was. Lazy fucker."

"It's not Bella's responsibility to make sure that Mike is up to date, Edward. It's our job as partners to make sure everyone pulls their weight. He's not lazy by the way; he's just not as good as Bella. She's pretty much showing us all up since she started. Well, everyone but you that is."

"Yeah, I know we fell on a gem there. Well done in spotting her potential at the interview. She told me it wasn't in her contract to keep a watch on Newton. She's sassy, not afraid to say what she really thinks."

"Edward Cullen? Is that really you? I mean you never ever give praise, even when it's due, so where's my grumpy bastard of a business partner and long-time friend? Just because you're over in gay Paris doesn't mean we want you to have a personality transplant. We happen to love you as the grumpy bastard we all know." We both laughed at that.

"Yeah, Bella called me out on that, too. Look, I'd better go, I won't be back for the Monday meeting this week, so I'll video conference again, I guess."

"Okay, I'll let Emmett know. Look, try to relax a bit while you're over there, see some of the sights."

"Yeah, yeah."

I spent a long and lonely weekend doing the whole tourist thing. It beat sitting in my hotel suite lonely and bored. I realised that I had not heard from Bella since Friday. Well, it was the weekend and she was entitled to the weekend off, but I would have expected something.

I checked my emails over and over, but there was nothing. Huh. Once again, my fingers found their way to her number. I hesitated this time only to glance at my watch. Shit, it was too late to call. I kept forgetting about the eight hour time difference. It was just after ten o'clock in the morning here so that made it about two o'clock in the morning there. It might have been Sunday morning here, but even if Bella had been out for the night, she surely would not have been still be up, and definitely not up for taking a business call at this time on a Sunday morning. I threw my phone down in disgust.

A stroll along the Seine later in the day did nothing for my black mood. I knew what I needed to alleviate my grouchiness and it was just not an option. I could not deviate from my own no-fraternization policy. I needed to get over this crush, or whatever the fuck it was, before I headed back to the states. If Emmett or Jasper got wind of this, I was fucked, well and truly fucked, with a capital "F."

I was more than ready when it was time for the video conference to begin the next morning. I longed to see her, her eyes, her hair, and just hear her voice. I felt a little safer here giving in to my seemingly-uncontrollable crush on Isabella Swan. As the screen flickered and the static cleared, I was disappointed to see that she was not there yet. What the fuck? She was always early, even after these few short weeks of knowing her, observing her, I knew she was well-organised and liked to be early. Where the hell was she?

Jasper started the meeting and she was still not there. I could hardly concentrate. I interrupted, not caring what they all thought at this point.

"Jazz, where's Ms. Swan?"

All heads turned to look at me on the screen. Jessica had an almost quizzical expression on her face, Emmett was looking at me like I had two heads, and Mike, well, his mouth was wide open and he looked like he was catching flies.

"Well?" I demanded a little more sternly than I meant to.

"She has a meeting, Edward, it was urgent, it couldn't be avoided. Now, can we move on, please? We have a lot to cover this morning," Jasper added.

She was not there; I wouldn't get to see her. Fuck, had she planned this on purpose just to piss me off? No, she couldn't have, surely she had no idea about my little crush. Did she? Oh, crap, had I been obvious? Was she avoiding me? Was she embarrassed? Fuck, fuck, and double fuck, how the hell did I deal with this?

The rest of the meeting went on without any involvement from me. I could not wait to sign off and get stuff sorted here so I could head home. Fuck what Nathalie said; I was going home; I would deal with the fallout when I got there.

Maybe once I had seen Bella, I would be in a better frame of mind to think things through rationally. I convinced myself that once I saw her again, things would settle down and my mind would stop playing tricks on me. I would be in a better place mentally to talk Jazz into letting her come to Paris as my replacement.

Yeah, I needed to go home...now.

**Will he give in to his urges when he returns home?**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Firm**

**Thanks once again for all your reviews and for continuing to read. You blow me away. I cannot thank you all enough.**

**Thanks also to Dollybigmomma whose magic fingers make sense of my ramblings.**

**Huge thanks to LADARTHA for the Rec and any of her readers that drop by let me know that she sent you!**

**Chapter 7**

**BELLA**

All hell broke loose on Sunday. I'd been relaxing in the bath with a large glass of wine and lots of bubbles when my mobile began ringing incessantly, stopping and then starting up again immediately. Something had to be wrong, and I soon learned that it was. It was one of my clients who was about to go to court. They were getting cold feet and looking to call the whole case off. Something was very wrong. I arranged an urgent meeting and sent a quick text to Seth Clearwater, asking him to come along if he was able.

A couple of hours later, I was in my office awaiting the arrival of both my client and Seth. The weekend security rang to tell me Seth was on his way up. I stepped out of my office and headed towards the lifts to meet him. We had spoken on the phone a few times, but we had yet to meet in person.

The lift doors opened just as I arrived and a giant of a man exited. He was every bit of six feet six inches tall with shoulders about the same width, well nearly. I stopped breathing for minute as I took him in. Wow, he was gorgeous, but definitely intimidating.

"Miss Swan, I presume. Good to meet you at last. I've heard only good things about you from Edward. You must be good because the Edward I know doesn't hand out compliments easily," he flashed me a brilliantly white smile as he leaned over and shook my hand.

With my mouth still slightly agape, I remembered to speak. "It's good to meet you, too, Seth. Please, call me Bella, and thank you so much for agreeing to come here on a Sunday, and on such short notice. I really need your input on this if we're going to be able to get this case back on track."

We chatted casually as we walked back to my office. I told him how I had received the frantic phone call from my client just that morning. We both puzzled on what could have happened.

My client finally arrived, thoroughly freaked out, and for the next four hours, we were locked in my office. Apparently, my client had received some intimidating threats and could not handle it. A swift call to the judge had our case bumped forward to first thing tomorrow. My client was running scared and we had to make sure they were safe until this was all over.

Seth was amazing. He arranged for some protection for my client, who was swiftly collected, taken home to collect his family and some personal effects, and then taken to a hotel outside the city. I breathed a sigh of relief when Seth received the call to confirm all was well.

"So, Bella, now that we have our client safely ensconced in a hotel with a minder, do you fancy getting something to eat? I mean if you don't need to be home or anything." His manner now became somewhat shy, a little less sure of himself, and he looked at me now from under his long black eyelashes. He was really cute for someone so big.

"Sure, Seth, let me just freshen up. I'll be back in five." I walked into the bathroom off my office and close the door. I leaned against the closed door and breathed a sigh of relief. Tears were close to my eyes. This was the first time I had felt under such pressure. I did not expect this sort of trouble on this case, the corporate intimidation and now threats against my client and his family were serious. How did they think they would get away with it? Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself together and made myself presentable for eating out.

The little restaurant we went to offered a multitude of dishes. I went safe with something small, but Seth went the whole hog and ordered their biggest steak. He didn't seem a bit fazed when what appeared to be the side of a cow was placed in front of him. He demolished the lot while I looked on with a wry smile on my face. The man definitely enjoyed his food and looked good doing it.

We chatted easily and he told me all about himself. He was not the shy retiring type of guy at all. He had me laughing out loud on several occasions with his stories. He was what I liked to call a little bit of light relief. I could not see anyone not getting on with him. How the hell he did a serious job like he did I didn't know, and from what I had learned today, he was the polar opposite of Edward Cullen.

"So, how do you know Edward?" I asked trying to make my inquiry seem casual.

"I used to be his runner. When I was still in college, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett gave me some part-time work. I guess I impressed them because when I passed the bar, they offered me an associate position with a view to becoming a partner at a later date if things worked out. I was flattered, let me tell you. That firm is going places; you did a good thing joining them so early in your career. But me, I always wanted to be my own boss so I decided to say no and set up on my own. Risky, I know, but as you can probably tell, I'm part Quileute Indian and I wanted to give something back to the tribe and my family. I'm kept pretty busy and do well for myself, and Edward, Jasper, and Emmett throw me the odd bone here and there. It's all good."

I liked Seth very much. He was a nice man, very sweet. He made me laugh and feel at ease, something I had never been able to do with anyone of the opposite sex in anything but a work situation. I was sure we could be good friends going forward. I must remember to thank Edward the next time I saw him for introducing me to Seth Clearwater.

"So, Bella, I need to head off now. Thanks for today. It was nice to finally meet you. Email and cell phones are okay, but face-to-face is much better. So I guess I'll see you bright and early tomorrow. Shall we meet for breakfast before we head to court?"

"Breakfast will be fine, Seth. I'm guessing you perform better on a full stomach. Shall we say half seven at the café opposite the courthouse?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. And yeah, you're right; I do perform much better on a full stomach." He quirked his eyebrows playfully as he pulled me into his huge arms for a quick hug.

He left me stood with my mouth wide open and bright red. Shit, would I ever be able to be in the company of a man without blushing? I could still hear his throaty laughter as he made his way back to his car.

Back at home, I set about catching up on my chores. With the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom done, I was about to start on the lounge when my phone buzzed, letting me know I had a message.

_**I'll bet Cullen loves that blush, it's pure kryptonite!**_

_**Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Bella.**_

_**See you at half seven in the morning.**_

_**Seth**_

What the hell? Why would Edward like my blush? I wondered what Seth meant by kryptonite. I was thinking about Monday when it hit me. Shit, fuck, and double fuck, I wouldn't be there for the Monday morning meeting. It meant this week, at the very least, I wouldn't even get to see him via video-conference. I suddenly felt deflated and no longer motivated to finish my cleaning. Even though the video-conference thing was not ideal, it was better than nothing, and now this week I had nothing. No deep green eyes to drown in, no sultry voice to make my panties wet. God, what was happening to me?

I suddenly felt more than a little deflated. I had no idea how to describe my exact feelings other than empty. I hated the fact that he was so far away, but to not see him at all...that just sucked.

Breakfast in the company of Seth was an experience all should be able to witness at least once. Endless amounts of pancakes, bacon, sausages, and grilled tomatoes were shovelled down his throat, but he did not pause for breath. He talked all the way through his breakfast, telling me exactly what he was going to do in court. I sat quietly, nibbling on my solitary pancake, both amused and stunned at the same time. He was something else; I just hadn't quite worked out what.

To see him in action in the courtroom was just…wow. He was confident, but not overly-aggressive for a man of his size. He just had that something about him that made others bow to his...whatever it was. It was impressive and he soon had the judge and jurors eating out of his hands. At recess for the day, I headed back to the office, pleased with the way things had gone. My client felt safe enough to go back home after the judge gave the defendant a rocket for their below-the-belt actions.

The next two days followed the same pattern, until at noon on Wednesday, deliberations were over and we were sent out until a decision had been reached. I felt confident that Seth had done a good job presenting our case, but I had the usual butterflies as we awaited the jury's decision.

It was after three o'clock when we were finally called back into the courtroom. Seth had persuaded me to head to the café for lunch yet again. We were becoming regulars; even the staff acknowledged us and brought our drinks without even asking what we wanted. Food was a different story. With Seth's appetite, the chef did not even try to guess what he'd order.

The decision was never in doubt according to Seth, and it went our way. My client was cleared of corporate espionage charges and awarded full reinstatement and a considerable amount of compensation for the wrongdoings he'd endured. He didn't want to return to the company, though, and why would he after how they had behaved? With his reputation intact, he was going to take a new position out of state and start a new life with his family. I was pleased that I had in some small way played a part in his success.

**EDWARD**

After the video-conference ended, I put things in place to head home. It would be overnight Tuesday-Wednesday before I could realistically get a flight. I needed to tie up the loose ends and make sure things here were secure until I could get a replacement in. As I had expected she would, Nathalie had thrown an absolute fit. She threw a paperweight at my head and I only just managed to duck in time. She was fucking furious, but it cemented my decision that I was doing the right thing. Someone else needed to take over this particular case. I was done pandering to Nathalie fucking Oberlauge.

The early flight from Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport was less busy than I expected, and my seat in first class gave me the privacy I craved and the space to relax. I had never understood why you had to be at the airport so many hours before your flight left. It meant I had gotten very little sleep before I'd set off. Emmett was going to pick me up at the other end. He'd been a little surprised when I'd called and told him I was coming home. He didn't ask too many questions, though, like Jazz would have done. No, Emmett liked to be face-to-face to get his reading on people.

Nathalie had not been satisfied that I was going to send her someone else to replace me. Her whiny, "But I want you, Edward," fell on deaf ears as I headed out of her office.

Eleven and half hours on a plane would give me time to unwind, decide how I was going to play things with the delectable Miss Swan. And play was definitely a word I would have used to describe what I wanted to do with her. I forced myself to stop that train of thought immediately; reminding myself that she was my employee and I was the idiot who had insisted on a no-fraternization policy.

It was quiet in the first-class cabin, only a few seats occupied. I dozed on and off for the first few hours before deciding to give up trying to sleep and got my laptop out to do some work. It would be about noon local time when we landed. I did not intend on going into the office, I would need to recharge my batteries, catch up on sleep so that I could get back into the saddle so to speak first thing on Thursday.

We were nearly an hour late arriving when we finally pulled up to the terminal. Emmett was waiting, looking irritated as fuck when I walked through the arrival doors.

Discreet inquiries brought me up to date with all that had been happening. Bella, it appeared, had been spending the last few days in the company of Seth Clearwater. Her case had come to a head and the court date brought forward when the company dropped a bollock and made threats. Stupid fuckers.

Emmett filled me in on all the mundane stuff, office gossip, Mike Newton and his never-ending list of excuses. We were really going to have to have a re-look at him. Good job our new associates were brought in on a twelve-month probationary period. We had a get-out clause, and it sounded like we might need to use it with Mike.

"Did Jazz mention anything about Miss Swan taking over the Paris case? I suggested she go over as my replacement."

"He mentioned something, but he's not keen on it, Ed. She's good and we could really do with keeping her here."

"Don't take me home, Emmett; drop me off at the office. I'll get a cab home in a couple of hours. I need to do some reading, see where I am for tomorrow."

"You sure, man? You look beat, and you'll never get anything done with people asking you questions."

"I'm sure. I'll close my office door and pretend I'm not in. You can keep it quiet for today can't you?"

"I can, but Jess will see you when we walk past her desk, unless we ring Jazz. He can distract her or something, send her on an errand."

"I think Jessica seeing me is the least of my worries."

I decided to ring her anyway, give her the heads-up.

"Jess, it's Edward, I'm on my way back with Emmett. I want to catch up on some reading so will you make sure I'm not disturbed by Mike or Bella?"

"Bella's not in, Edward, she's in court. I'll make sure Mike stays away. He won't know you're back from me. See you soon. I'll have a coffee waiting for you."

When I hung up, Emmett was smirking at me. "She spoils you, Edward. Newton will be pissed off if he thinks you have Jessica panting after you. Jazz and I are sure those two are doing the dirty on the sly."

The look on my face had him backtracking. "Jess denies any wrongdoing, we've asked her outright. But you can feel it, the sexual tension between them. You know how good I am at reading people right. You just wait and see. You'll know what I mean."

The rest of the drive to the office was quiet. I might have even dozed off. I did not know how long I would be able to stay awake, but I had to try. I needed to be up to speed for a full day tomorrow and if there was the remotest chance that I would get to see her, then I had to try.

True to her words, Jessica had a steaming cup of strong black coffee on my desk as well as all the files I needed to bring myself up to speed. A wry smile crossed my lips when I saw Bella's delicate notes in the margins and her bold highlighting where she wanted to challenge. After reading the first file, I decided she truly was the female equivalent of me. All her notes, her challenges, they were exactly what I would have done. It was uncanny.

Jessica dropped by to say goodnight, leaving me a club sandwich and an ice-cold bottle of water. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until I took my first bite. When I was done, I suddenly felt so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open. I needed to take a walk, wake myself up.

I found myself outside Bella's door, but there was no sign of life. Of course, I already knew she wasn't here. I hesitated for a moment before sighing loudly and slowly opening her door. As I stepped through the now-open door, the lights flickered on. Her office smelled like her and it hit me hard in the gut. I missed her scent as well as her. I was putty in her hands if, in fact, she actually wanted anything to do with me. Hell, if she could have seen me now, she would run a mile. I was acting like a fucking stalker, but I was powerless to do anything about it.

My fingers lightly ran along the back of her chair. I could visualize her sitting here, her hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned down, reading intently. She had added a few trinkets and a couple of pictures since I was last in here. The pictures on the wall drew my attention. In one was an older man and woman, I assumed her parents. Bella looked like her dad, but she had her mum's smile. The other pictures showed three college girls on graduation day. It was Bella with the girls from the bar, the ones that had been hammered. I could feel their connection just from the photograph. She was lucky like me to have such good friends.

The tiredness was not dissipating so I decided to lie down on her futon for a few minutes, letting it down flat, planning to just rest briefly. I really needed to consider one of these for my office. Lying here in her office, it felt like I was close to her. Her scent permeated all around and it made me feel all fuzzy and warm. Not that I would ever admit to that statement.

I could feel my eyes drifting, closing, so I stretched out further, propping my head on the hard arm of the futon. I went out like a light.

**BELLA**

The executive floor was quiet when I got back a little after six thirty, which was good. It meant I could get on with some work for Edward without being disturbed. I had some serious catching up to do with having been out of the office for three whole days. Making myself a latte, I meandered back to my office. The lights came on as I walked through the door.

The sight before me made me smile and tear up a bit. Edward had reclined the futon and was laid out on it, sound asleep. His suit looked rumpled and I was guessing he had come straight from the airport. He must have been here a while seeing as the lights were out. I tried but failed to recall how long there had to be no motion before they switched off. Huh, but why my office? I crept quietly closer, taking in his beautiful face. He looked like a sweet little boy as he slept. He was without a doubt the most breathtakingly beautiful man I'd ever seen.

I was torn between not wanting to disturb him and wanting to jump his bones, but my sane side won over. He must have been completely exhausted because he didn't stir at all as I carefully tucked a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket. I couldn't resist gently running my fingers through his thick mane of hair just once, smoothing it from his forehead before I turned and made my way out of my office. I sat at Jess's desk while I drank my latte. I decided it would be better if I just headed home, realizing it would do no good for him to find me ogling him when he woke up. No, it would be better all-around for me to let him sleep off his jet-lag and just see him tomorrow, much more professional. I might just be able to cope with that. Might being the key word here…

**Ah, bless him, I wish he would fall asleep on my sofa, don't you?**

**So, how is it progressing so far?**

**What are your thoughts on what's going to happen now that he's back?**

**Until next time…**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Firm**

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**Thank you for taking the time to read. You humble me. Thank you all so much.**

**Dollybigmomma likes shiny things. She polishes this up nicely for me. You rock, girl.**

**Chapter 8**

**BELLA**

I was too giddy to sleep. I lay in bed thinking about what I had witnessed in my office and almost squeed out loud several times. Edward had been asleep on my couch and I wondered what he was doing there. I wondered for a moment if he had been waiting for me, wanting to talk to me or see me, and this time I did squee out loud. Yeah, like that would even be likely. No, I had to resign myself to the fact that he had just fallen asleep, the where he'd fallen asleep part probably wasn't important. I knew I should have just been happy he was back and I could admire him up close but from afar again. I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours before finally dropping off some time after three o'clock in the morning.

Death warmed up, that was the only way I could describe how I felt the next morning. My head ached and my throat burned like a furnace. Shit, I was coming down with something, that or the really late night had taken its toll on me. I had been burning the candle at both ends, as Edward had phrased it, what with reading his papers as well as my own and preparing the court documents. I needed to calm the fuck down and rest up properly. Now that he was back, I could do just that. My load would be lighter, too. The success of the case yesterday meant I had one less thing to worry about. Yeah, things would start to quieten down as my workload lessened, then I could concentrate on me.

**EDWARD**

It was still dark when I woke up. I knew I was not in my bed because I was still dressed. It took me a further minute or two before I realised I was still in Bella's office and racked out on her futon. Shit, I was still in my D&G suit for Christ sakes. Sitting upright, I groaned, confused by how a blanket had gotten placed over me and a pillow underneath my head. Jessica must have found me and taken pity on me. That thought embarrassed me thoroughly.

A quick glance to my watch told me it was nearly three o'clock in the morning. I needed to go home. I ordered a taxi and then put Bella's bedding back in the cabinet before I made my way back to my own office bathroom where I splashed water on my face, trying and failing to make myself feel alive. My suit was a mess, crumpled to fuck. Shit, it was one of my favourites, too. It would have to go to the cleaners to see if they could resurrect it before I decided if I needed to send it to the charity shop.

Once I made it home, I collapsed into bed, not even bothering to shower. I would have one in the morning, but right now I needed rest more. Exhausted, I succumbed to sleep almost immediately.

My alarm woke me four hours later and I felt a little more like myself. A long hot shower followed by a couple of minutes under a cold blast had me raring to go. I wanted to get to the office and see Bella before anyone else arrived.

Her lights were on, so she was already here. I dropped my briefcase off in my office and logged on to my laptop before I made my way across to the office opposite. Her door was slightly ajar so I pushed it open a little more…

**BELLA**

My aching head and sore throat did not deter me from being the first to arrive again. I was relieved to see that Edward was not still on my couch. The bedding I had tucked him in with was back in the cabinet and the material was cold. It meant he had been gone for a while.

Without thinking, I reached for the pillow in the cabinet and held it close to my face. It smelled like him and subconsciously I took in a deep pull of Edward's scent. Mmm, he smelled divine. I could almost imagine he was standing right here with me.

Someone clearing their throat behind me had me cramming the pillow roughly back into its place and spinning round. Shit, Edward was stood in the doorway in his famous lean-on-my-doorjamb pose. A now familiar throb started in my nether regions and suddenly my panties felt slightly damp as I gulped down the rise of a panic attack. I didn't want to faint or crumple into a puddle at his feet. No, that would not have been attractive, at all.

"Edward, you're back. Good to see you," I stuttered, trying and failing to sound composed.

"Bella, has that pillow done something wrong to you?" he asked with a cheeky smirk on his lovely face.

"What? Oh, no, just putting it back in its rightful place, that's all."

"Looked from here like you were devouring it," he added moving into the room and closing the door behind him.

"No, I…I…" I didn't get the chance to continue.

"Never mind, Bella. So, I heard good things about your case. Seth has sent me countless emails singing your praises. You've made quite an impression there. Congratulations on the win by the way. You did very well. And I'd also like to say thank you for taking some of my load off me while I was away. I'll return the favour if you ever need me to. So, did I miss anything interesting while I was away, apart from your case being bumped?"

"Um, thanks. Seth's great, thanks for introducing us. I think I've made a friend for life. We get on really great together. As far as office doings, I've been too busy to tell you what all has happened around here. I'm afraid I'm a bit of an ostrich when I'm busy, sorry. You should try Jess or Emmett, those two are the ones who see and hear everything round here."

I sat down at my desk and looked up just as Edward was taking a seat opposite. Shit, he needed to stop doing that to me.

"Bella, have you noticed anything odd between Jessica and Mike?"

"Odd? What do you mean?" I wondered what he was asking.

"Well, I may be wrong here, but for a while, I've just had the feeling that those two have become more than colleagues. I wondered if you'd noticed anything."

"Not really, no. I mean I did wonder the same thing that first day, but it was just how they were with each other at the meeting, nothing else. I haven't seen anything since. Anyway, there's the no-fraternization policy in place so I assume they'd know it would be prohibited."

"I agree, but sometimes things like rules and regulations are broken. I'll keep my eyes open, see if I spot anything. So, do you have anything else to tell me?"

"No, I don't think so…" Only that I thought about him every night in bed and I wanted to run my fingers through his hair again and maybe lick him all over for good measure. I added those things in my head, or at least I hoped I did not say any of that out loud. A really deep blush rose up from my toes. Shit, he was squirming in his seat and now he looked all embarrassed.

"Okay, then I'll leave you to get on with it. I'd like to talk to you about Paris at some point, if you're still interested that is. Have a good day, Bella, you know where I am if you need anything. I'm in the office all day today." He got up and quickly made his way out, closing the door quietly behind him.

My quiet response of okay hung in the air and I did not know if he'd even heard me. I pondered his words; Jasper had told me about his conversation with Edward about Paris and I had gotten the impression the idea had been shelved. Huh, maybe not.

A strong black coffee brought my senses back to the job at hand, reading depositions. My headache had mostly gone, but my throat still felt like the bottom of a birdcage. I decided to take a walk to the chemist during my break.

The rest of the morning went by without incident. Mike popped in and congratulated me on winning in court yesterday and asked if I knew that Edward was back. I nodded, really wanting to get on with my work. He took the hint and left, closing the door once again.

Throat lozenges were a miracle cure as far as I was concerned. My throat felt a hundred times easier than it had this morning and when I shouted a loud and clear, "Come in," to the most recent knock on my office door, I knew I was on the mend.

"Bella, these just arrived for you," Jessica said handing over a large glass vase full of cream-coloured lilies. I gasped at the beautiful flowers in front of me.

"For me?"

"That's what the courier said; Isabella Swan. There's a card popped in the top, look," she nodded towards a small gold envelope.

"Thanks, Jess," I said dismissing her.

I waited until the door was firmly closed before opening the small card. A picture of Betty Boop brightly blushing was on the front, and she looked all sheepish. I knew immediately who they were from.

**EDWARD**

The sight that greeted me as I stood in Bella's doorway made me catch my breath. She was holding the pillow that I had slept on close to her face and appeared to be breathing it in. What the fuck? The sight went straight to my dick. Did that mean she was breathing me in? No, she couldn't have been doing that. She didn't even know I was here, never mind that I had slept in her office on her couch with that very pillow, did she?

I cleared my throat, not wanting to prolong my own agony. She was beautiful if a little pale today. I wondered if she was okay. We bantered a while and I was glad to see that she did not react to the mention of Seth in any other way than platonically. Thank God. The way his emails had read, I'd gotten the impression it was love at first sight, may for him at least, but not for Bella. I would deal with Seth's crush later, that fucker had the sharp edge of my tongue coming at him for his comments on Bella's "kryptonite" blush.

Making my way back to my office, I realised that I had just left her blushing once again, and once again, my hasty retreat was so that she remained none the wiser about my uncontrollable erections in her presence.

She walked past my open office door at lunchtime and I heard her tell Jessica she was just popping to the local chemist. I was right, she had been pale earlier. I hoped she was okay. A short while later, her lovely fresh fragrance wafted through my open door, letting me know she was back and I immediately felt calmer. Ridiculous, really, for a grown man to be so...so, whatever the fuck I was.

My door remained open for the rest of the day. I saw that fucker, Newton, pop in to see her. She must have sent him away with a flea in his ear. He wasn't even in there a minute. A wry smile crossed my face; she was good, I'd give her that. When Jessica passed by holding what looked like a display of lilies, I got up from my desk and stood hidden behind my open door. Bella's reaction appeared genuinely stunned, but she seemed pleased to have received such beautiful flowers. Jessica telling Bella about the card attached to them heightened my interest even more. She did not know who they were from. I wondered about that. Note to self, she liked flowers. I argued with myself why it mattered. I was really starting to grate on my own nerves now. I needed to grow the fuck up.

I waited as long as I could stand it before I found myself walking out to Jessica's desk, casually asking who the flowers were for.

"They were for Bella, lucky thing. No one sends me flowers like that, ever," she grumbled.

"So, who were they from?" I asked trying and failing to sound casual.

"I don't know, Edward. She kicked me out of the office before she opened the card. Anyway, why are you so interested?" She was looking at me curiously now, as if she were trying to solve the world's biggest mystery. "Now that I think about it, you were so grumpy on Monday when Bella wasn't at the meeting, too…" She paused for a moment before a look of understanding passed over her face and I inwardly cringed. "Oh! Edward, are the flowers from you?" she asked with a suspiciously raised brow. Shit, time to start back-peddling.

"Don't be silly, Jessica. Why would I send Bella flowers? And I wasn't grumpy at the meeting; I was just surprised that our newest associate wasn't there. I now know why and it's all good." I hoped that would appease her and throw her off the trail. I would have to be more careful with that one. "So, I need to apologise to you about before, you know, before I left for Paris. Sorry I haven't said it sooner. I'm a bastard, I know, you don't need to tell me."

"I'd forgotten about that, Edward. Hmm, maybe you could buy me some flowers and I'll think about forgiving you," she added with a wink.

As I walked away towards my office, I threw back at her over my shoulder, "Don't push your luck, Stanley." Her tongue popped out at me and I bit back a barking laugh.

Bella's door opened and she emerged, probably to see what the noise was just as I was level with her. She took in my laughing face and smiled shyly.

"Is everything okay out here? It's usually so quiet up here," she added looking down at her fuck-me black heels and blushing. Damn it, I was hard again.

"Sorry if we disturbed you, Bella, we were just being a couple of old birds gossiping a bit." Jessica was trying to be funny, but failed miserably. I couldn't help laughing. Jessica shouted from her desk, "Oh, Bella, Mr. Cullen here is mighty interested in who your flowers are from. He's handing apologies out, too, so if you're due any, now is your time to collect."

Bella looked from me to Jessica and back, her tiny mouth half open, poised to say something.

"Ignore her, she's pissed off that no one buys her flowers. She asked me to, but I shot her down in flames. Come on; let's go into your office." I took her elbow before I could think about what I was doing, trying to ignore the electric shocks shooting through my body and closed the door behind us.

"Sorry about that," I said looking at my hand once again, "but once Jess starts, she'll go all day if you don't remove yourself from the situation. Now about those flowers, they look lovely by the way."

"They're from Seth, a thank you of sorts I guess."

Clearwater…I should have guessed. "Seth sent you flowers?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?"

"Well, no, I guess I'm just surprised; he hardly comes across as the hearts-and-flowers type of guy now does he. I mean he must be seven feet tall and wide."

"Edward, stop exaggerating, and I didn't realise you had to be a particular 'sort of guy' to send someone flowers. Do you think it makes him less of a man?" she sounded pissed. "Or maybe it's just me."

"What? No, I never said that. I just guess I don't know him as well as I thought I did. That was all."

"Was there something else you wanted, Edward, or can I get on now?" she dismissed me coldly, really pissed now.

Back in my office, I felt like an idiot. Not only had Jess and I disturbed Bella's work, but then I had insulted her. If she didn't hate me already, she was sure to after today.

I decided I needed to speak to Seth and see what he was playing at.

_**From: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**_

_**To: **__**SethClearwater**__**atQ**__**uile**__**u**__**teLaw**_

_**We need to talk! Whenever you have a free hour or so. Soon.**_

_**Edward**_

Within five minutes, my mobile phone rang. It was Seth.

"So, when can we meet?" I asked not bothering with the pleasantries.

"Well, hello to you, too, Edward. What, no thank you for your help while I was living it up in Paris, Seth? Great job you did on Bella's case, Seth? Grumpy bastard. You want to meet during the day or at night?"

"Either, just soon, and I _am_ grateful for your help with the case, you know that already. So how's your diary looking?"

"It's empty right now, tonight, and tomorrow after two o'clock. Whenever suits you, really."

"Okay, tomorrow at three o'clock, my place. Bring some beer, I'll supply the food."

"Will Jazz and Emmett be there?"

"No, they won't, it'll be just us two."

"Okay, see you then, and say hello to my beautiful Bella for me." He hung up before I could growl at him.

Fucker, I could tell he was damned well toying with me…

**So he's back and it looks like his crush is still going strong. **

**Updating schedule, I will continue to update twice a week until I have uploaded all the chapters already completed. After that, it's more likely to be once a week, but I'll do twice if I'm able. And of course the more reviews I get, the faster I write. So get to it...**

**Thanks to Dil9 for her Rec, check her stories out, they're great, too.**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Firm**

**Hello, lovelies! I'm blown away by your continued support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am still buzzing from the Lemonade Stand nomination. Fantastic honour.**

**Big hugs from across the pond to beta, Dollybigmomma. She's awesome.**

**Okay, so this chapter will be from Edward's point of view only. It's the meeting between him and Seth. I hope you enjoy it. Seth's a good guy, show him some lurve.**

**Chapter 9**

**Edward**

My meeting with Seth Clearwater could not come soon enough, especially since I now knew it was him that had sent Bella the flowers. Fucker. I would rip him a new one when I saw him later. My day was not productive. All I did was gaze through my now very-open blinds, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bella. I needed to sort this shit out soon before I was called out by Jasper and Emmett. I knew they were getting suspicious because I had found them huddled in one of the other offices whispering and what looked like arguing. Believe me, Emmett did not argue, he was far too easy-going to argue so it was out of character at best. Jasper, however, he was a clever son-of-a-bitch and what with Emmett's knack of being able to read people, I was nervous.

"What the fuck are you two doing in here whispering like a pair of old gossips?" I'd asked genuinely curious that first time, not even considering it might have been about me.

"Ah, Edward, come in, we were just, um, discussing refusing to allow Bella to replace you in Paris," Jasper said none-too-convincingly.

"You were discussing that without me being present?" I asked, eyebrows raised in astonishment.

Emmett looked down embarrassed then so I knew Paris was not what they had been talking about. Damn, had they been talking about me? Did I confront them? Call them out?

"Calm down, Edward, it was nothing we haven't discussed previously."

"It didn't look like nothing to me," I argued raising my voice a little.

I stepped further into the room and closed the door behind me. "So come on, spill it, what were you talking about?"

Their eyes darted between each other and Emmett, I knew, was struggling and was looking to Jasper to cover their asses.

"WELL? I'm waiting!" I shouted, making Emmett cringe. He had experienced my wrath on many occasions before and it always made him want to hide. He was so jovial all the time that confrontations of any sort made him really uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, being the size he was, he could take care of himself, but he was what I would call a gentle giant.

"Edward, sit down and calm the fuck down," Jasper growled back matching my tone.

Reluctantly, I took a seat and waited for them to explain.

"Look, we're worried about you. You don't seem yourself. You're nervous and twitchy as fuck. Emmett said he heard you laughing out loud in the reception area yesterday. Edward, you don't laugh out loud; hell, you don't usually laugh in the office at all. You've always been the one who's the consummate professional, but you seem…different."

"Different? Different how? Jasper, please explain. Surely I'm not different just because I laughed with Jess?"

"No, it's more than just that. Good God, man, it's great to hear you laughing, having a little fun at work, but my point is that YOU, Edward Cullen, just don't act like this in the office. You're a man that separates work and play, you always have. Hearing you laugh while here, it just never happens."

"That's bullshit, Jazz! For fucks' sake, I'm away a couple of weeks in France and you think I've changed somehow?"

"Yes, the signs may be subtle, but to Emmett and me, who know you like no one else, they're there. We just want to know what's going on."

"Nothing's 'going on' as you put it. So I had a laugh with our receptionist-come-PA, is it a crime? Has the fucking world stopped turning? I really don't know what you want me to say. I'm me, Edward Cullen, the same guy I've always been, a little older maybe, a lot wiser for sure, but I'm still me. I don't know what else to say, guys." I slumped back in the chair defeated.

"Look, Edward, all we want is for you to talk to us if there's a problem, okay? We just want to understand and help if we can. God knows stress and strange shit happening can make anyone act out of character."

"Okay, whatever. Anyway, I'm out of here for the day, I'm meeting Seth later so I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As I walked out the door, I heard Jazz say quietly, "See, Em, that's exactly why I'm worried, he never bunks off work."

I rolled my eyes but carried on back to my office to prepare to go home. A quick glance through Bella's open blinds gave me the boost I needed until tomorrow. She was hard at work, her hair loose and hanging over her shoulders as she concentrated hard on whatever she was reading. I wanted to run my hands through that hair, see how it felt, pull it a little while I kissed the fuck out of her luscious lips. With a shake of my head, I walked into my office and closed the door, leaning on it and taking a deep breath.

Hopefully, all the crazy shit going on in my head would be gone after I had met with Seth. He was a good kid. Kid? Well, he was only a few years younger than me, but we gave him his first break so I would probably always think of him as a kid.

After a quick shower, I dressed casually in sweats and an old black t-shirt. Two large pizzas had been delivered and were waiting to be reheated. I had to get two with Seth as a guest as one was never enough. Hell, Seth made Emmett's appetite look like he was on a diet.

The loud knock came an hour later and as I opened the door, the human tank otherwise known as Seth Clearwater barged straight past me, his arms full of beer. It looked like we were in for a full session. I rolled my eyes as I closed the door quietly behind him.

"I hope you got plenty to eat, Cullen, because I'm starving," Seth declared opening my fridge door and placing all the beer he had brought inside.

"I got the usual like always when you come round; two family-sized, one with pepperoni and peppers, and a chicken, mushroom, and garlic. I hope that's okay."

"Mmm." He took a seat on my huge comfy sofa and turned to face me as I joined him, two beers in my hands.

"So, are we going to be all polite and shit or are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?"

"There's an elephant in the room?" I asked not being able to resist challenging him.

"You know what I mean, Edward, cut the bullshit."

"Okay, so Isabella Swan, I just want to know what your intentions are regarding her."

"It's Bella, but you already know that, and you want to know about my intentions? For fucks' sake, Edward, she's a grown woman. If I have any intentions, I wouldn't need to run them by you, and if Bella isn't interested, she's more than capable of letting me know just that."

"I never said you needed my permission, Seth. I just wanted to know if you have feelings for her, like..."

"I get it, Edward, I get it, believe me. From the first moment I saw her, and then when we started talking, I knew she was perfect in every way. I also know she's perfect for you, too."

"What? No, that's not what I meant, I mean she's an employee and I value her work, she's like the female equivalent of me with regard to her work, but as for anything else, no, never. You know there's a strict no-fraternization policy in place at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty, anyway."

"Stop hiding behind the no-fraternization policy, Edward. You're making yourself miserable. It's written all over your face; and your emails, well, they tell a whole other story, too. Look, it's nothing to be ashamed of, she's great, beautiful, smart, sassy as hell, and I think she's perfect. But if you're not going to act on your feelings, man, I see her as a free agent and I think we could have something really good together. Hell, we're already good friends and I'm sure if she knows you aren't interested, it won't take me long to persuade her that I'm the right guy for her."

"I'm sorry if I've made you feel bad with my emails, Seth, I really didn't mean to." I sighed and decided to come clean. "You're right; I'm developing feelings for her. I'm going all kinds of crazy here and I never said I wasn't going to act on my feelings for her, but at this point, I don't know if she's even interested in me and I just don't know what to do. She's in my every thought and I'm completely distracted by her. By the way, if you repeat any of this to anyone, I'll personally tear you limb from limb. Should I even be telling you any of this if you're my adversary?"

"Like you even could touch me. And you know I won't say anything. I take it Jazz and Emmett don't know about your little crush?"

"No, and I want to keep it that way. Jazz thinks I've had a personality transplant recently and he's talking to Emmett who has eyes like a hawk, but I've denied anything is up and I'll continue to deny whatever the fuck this is until I sort it out in my own head."

"Well, I'll back off for now, give you and Bella time to see if this shit can work itself out," he motions in the air, "But if you drag your feet or back off, it'll be my turn. She's a lovely girl and I like her a lot."

"I'll try to not let this drag on too long. I'll get it figured out."

"_It _is called love, Edward," Seth said sounding actually quite sincere.

"Love? That's a pretty strong word, Seth, I'm not sure it's the one I'd use just yet. Lust maybe, attraction for sure, but love? What about you? What do you feel for her?"

"What words would I use? Hmm, let me think. I like her, Edward, it could be more, but I can see it in your eyes enough to know that my feelings so far are nothing like yours and that's why I'm prepared to take a step back and give you a shot. So come on, Mr. calm-and-collected Cullen, describe to me how she makes you feel."

"Don't push it, Seth."

"Damn it, man, you wanted to talk, so talk. You aren't going to be able to understand what you're feeling unless you get it out in the open. Just fucking unload, man, you'll feel tons better."

"I'm just not used to being open about this sort of thing, and you want me to tell you, the other man? Sounds all kinds of fucked up to me, Seth. Hell, I've never even experienced whatever the fuck 'this' is before, so fuck if I know what to do, or how to describe it. The kinds of words I want to use are not in my usual vocabulary."

"Shit, I feel like I need to switch careers and become a counsellor or psychotherapist," he grinned settling back into the sofa. "Just start already, Edward, from the beginning, say whatever comes to mind. Just talk and I'll shut up and listen," he offered, lightening the now-tense air between us.

So, for the next couple of hours, we ate pizza, drank beer, and I talked. I told Seth about how Bella had affected me that first day, that she was nothing like I had imagined. I told him about the electric shock we both received when we touched and how her blush went right to my dick. He'd about pissed himself laughing at that one.

"I knew her blush would kill you, I just knew it. In fact, I told her so."

I groaned out loud. "What do you mean you told her?"

"When I first witnessed that blush, I knew it had to be killing you; shit, it nearly did it for me, too. I know you, man; her beauty, her sweet nature and innocence, her intelligence, it's a triple threat. All of it rolled into one bundle of beautiful kryptonite, it's the sort of thing that can bring a strong man to his knees. She's everything you need and you never even knew it. Look, Edward, I think she might feel some of what you're feeling, too. She blushed every time I mentioned your name and she seemed pissed that you didn't tell her you were going Paris. And the mention of Nathalie Oberlauge had her scowling fiercely, I'm telling you."

"Going to Paris was a knee-jerk reaction to what I was feeling about Bella. Sure, I needed to go at some point, but I guess you could say that I ran away, or at least I tried. Well, look where it got me; sexually harassed by a French cougar and no closer to finding a solution to my feelings about Bella."

"Have you considered talking to her, opening yourself up a bit? You might find she'll open up a bit, too. You can't be any worse off, can you?"

"What's the point, Seth? It was me that insisted on the no-fraternization policy, how would it look if I were the one to break it? The old Edward in me just won't allow me to do that. Anyway, the point is moot; she might not be even interested."

"But how will you ever know if you don't talk to her?"

"And how do you propose I start that conversation? 'Oh, hey, Bella, do you have the hots for me like I do you?' Yeah, like that'd ever happen. It's pointless, useless. I just need to get over it, give you the green light to step in," I conceded, but then I found myself rubbing at the tightness in my chest at that thought and sighed. "Hell, sorry, mate, but I can't step away right now; it'd just about kill me. Another option is to get her out of the office and as far away from me as possible until I come to my senses. I want her to go to Paris, take over Nathalie Oberlauge's case."

"You want to send her away? Edward, what could that possibly achieve other than making you both miserable? Not to mention me, too," he sounded incredulous.

"I can't see that I have any other choice, Seth. I can't carry on like this. I can't sleep, my work is being affected, and I won't allow that to happen. I'll speak to Jasper again tomorrow and see if I can get him to change his mind about her going."

"He doesn't want her to go?"

"Nope, said we needed her here, she's very good at what she does."

"Look, Edward, I may be an idiot for even suggesting this, but hear me out anyway. How about I do some fishing for you, find out for you what Bella is really thinking? Then if she's interested, you can talk to her and resolve this one way or the other. Look, man, you're my friend and I can see what this is doing to you. Give yourself the chance, Edward, rules can be changed. Don't close the door just because of some rule you put in place to ensure things in the office remain professional. You and Bella are both professional enough to not let whatever does or doesn't happen between you affect your work. So what do you say?"

I stared at him for a long time, weighing up what he had just proposed. It all sounded a bit childish to me, but what other options did I have? I was not going to walk into her office and ask her outright; but if I knew she liked me, was maybe interested, too, then talking to her would be easier. Could I let Seth do this for me? Could I trust him not to fuck it up on purpose to give himself a clear path? Yes, I knew I could trust him. I knew he was a good man who would not do that to me or Bella.

Maybe it was the six or seven beers I'd had, or Seth's constant droning on in my ear, but I eventually agreed. He would take Bella out to lunch and talk. He wanted to do dinner, but I put the kibosh on that as it was too intimate and the jealous Edward in me would not allow him to take her out to dinner. He was going to grill her as subtly as he possibly could and let me know. I also knew that Seth Clearwater did not do subtle. In the back of my mind, I knew that whatever the outcome, there was always the possibility of sending her off to Paris.

"You won't regret this, Edward. Seth super-sleuth Clearwater will save the day!" Those were his parting words as he finally headed out, grinning ear to ear.

I was beginning to regret it already...

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed reading it. Let me know if you liked it.**

**Until next time...**


	11. Chapter 11

**The Firm**

**Thank you once again for all the reviews. Wow is all I can say.**

**Dollybigmomma cleans up this mess. She rules the world.**

**SM owns, I borrow and play.**

**Chapter 10**

**Bella**

I found myself caressing and smelling the flowers for the rest of the day. Seth Clearwater had sent them to me. The blushing Betty Boop had given him away before I even read his message. He was an idiot, but I liked him, he was a good friend. Sitting back in my chair, I considered whether my feelings of friendship for this giant of a man could perhaps be more. Nah, I doubted it. There was no tingle, no throbbing, and definitely no damp panties. My feelings were strictly platonic for Seth. I hoped he felt the same way, I would have liked for us to be friends at least.

It was late in the afternoon when a raucous laugh broke my concentration. It definitely wasn't Emmett, I'd come to know his laughter already. Being nosey, I took a peek outside my door. Edward? It was Edward laughing, his face a picture of happiness as he had a lighter moment with Jessica. I felt sheepish for interrupting and looked down at my Jimmy Choos so he could not see my obvious embarrassment.

When he led me back in through my door, I could not speak, his touch causing molten lava to travel throughout my body. Shit, I needed to control this before I jumped him here in the fucking office. When he eventually broke the contact, I noticed once again that he was looking at his hand. A deep throb erupted through my nether regions knowing that he had felt it, too. Damn it all, this was bad. How would we be able to work together with this...whatever the fuck this was, going on between us?

Then he did what I would have expected of any man, he did not let me down. He acted like a dufus, insulted me, and insinuated that Seth was less of a man because he had sent me flowers. I dismissed him before I really lost the plot. I slumped down in my chair when he was gone, defeated, angry, and thoroughly pissed off.

I knew it was childish, but I did not want to see him so the next morning, I closed my blinds and stayed hidden in my office. Cowardly, I knew, but that was what I felt right then. I had taken Seth's flowers home with me, something I wouldn't have thought to do if Edward had not been so, so...annoying.

I heard rather than saw him leave. I was surprised as it was much earlier than usual. Good, it meant that I wouldn't have to hide; it also meant I would not bump into him later if I nipped out to get a coffee. Fucking men. I left at the usual time. Quil simply nodded and glanced at his watch as I exited the building.

Climbing into bed a couple of hours later exhausted, I settled down for the night. Then my phone chirped with a message. I was going to ignore it, but my conscience got the better of me and I sat up and turned on the lamp at the side of my bed.

**Hey, Bella!**

**So how about lunch this week?**

**I miss you and your blush! :)**

**Seth.**

The man was a buffoon, but he made me laugh and blush, and right now I could do with a dose of Seth Clearwater, he just might make me rethink my conclusion that all men were not worth the bother. I fired out a quick reply and hoped he did not start a text conversation because I wanted to go to sleep.

**Lunch sounds good**

**Thank you for the flowers, they're lovely.**

**I would have agreed to lunch without them, though!**

**Let me know when.**

**Bella**

He didn't text back, thank god, and so I went to sleep. My sleep was disturbed once again, however, by dreams of Edward Cullen and my vivid imagination's recreation of his enormous prowess in the bedroom. I woke up in a cold sweat at three o'clock in the morning and had to go get myself a drink of water just to calm me down. What the fuck was this man doing to me? Sitting on the edge of my bed, I wondered how best I should deal with my growing…what word should I have used to describe how I felt about Edward Cullen? Feelings? Infatuation? Crush? The hots? I did not know what to even call it. All I knew was that he had me in a flat spin and I did not know if I was on my arse or my tits most of the time. I felt like I was a physical wreck.

It was Friday before I knew it and I still hadn't heard from Seth about our lunch date. Maybe he had forgotten, or maybe he had just been too busy. Our office was certainly busy, a hive of activity, with people coming and going. People I had never seen before filtered past my door. I closed it, wanting to keep the disturbance to a minimum. I guess it was a fallacy that it was quiet on this executive floor. I did not see Edward, but Jasper and Emmett met and greeted the visitors loudly. A little too loudly for my liking. At just after four o'clock, I was unable to concentrate anymore so I packed up and made my way out.

"Heading out early, Bella?" Jessica asked as I walked past her desk.

"Yeah, there are too many distractions in here today for me. I can get more done at home where it's quiet."

"Okay, I'll see you on Monday, have a good weekend," she added happily.

It was almost eight o'clock when I received a text from Seth asking me to meet him for lunch the next day. I was free so I figured why not. I had a night out planned for later Saturday with Alice and Rose, but lunch would not interfere with that.

Dressed casually in skinny jeans and a rugby-style shirt, I headed out to meet with Seth. He was already waiting when I arrived right on time.

"Hey, Seth, I'm not late am I?" I asked, but I already knew I wasn't.

"No, Bella, you're right on time, come take a seat. So, what do you fancy to eat?"

"I might've known you only got me here for the food," I joked.

"You know me so well, Miss Swan. So, how's your week been? I heard Edward's back."

"Busy, and yes, he is. Have you seen him? I haven't seen you round the office."

"Um, yeah, I went round to his place for a few drinks the other night. We had some catching up to do."

"Ah, male bonding; how was that for you?" I laughed.

"Well, I don't know about male bonding, but we talked, got some stuff straightened out. It's all good."

It sounded like Seth and Edward had needed to clear the air and I wondered if my flowers had anything to do with it. We went quiet while we ate, but it was comfortable for a while, then suddenly it wasn't; Seth looked nervous and I wondered what he had up his sleeve and why he had really invited me out to lunch.

"So, Bella, have you missed me this week? I mean after being in court earlier in the week and our breakfast meetings, you kind of have to have missed me a little, right?"

"Seth, where do I begin? Missed you? No, I've been too busy. I do miss your personality, though. It sure beats the men I'm used to dealing with."

"You've been having trouble with the men in your office? Newton has always fancied himself a ladies' man. I can't believe he's not fawning at your feet. Then there's Jazz, he's a smooth one who also likes the ladies, and there's Emmett, he's like a real live teddy bear; everyone loves Emmett."

"I wasn't talking about Mike, actually, or Jasper and Emmett for that matter."

"Who then? Surely not Edward? I mean, I know he's a grumpy bastard and a workaholic, but all the ladies seem to fall for his good looks and killer smile, and that sex hair thing he has going on..."

"Can we not talk about this, please? I want to have lunch with you and relax, not think about work and people that annoy me."

"Ah, Bella, come on, spill, what has he done? Tell Uncle Seth all about what nasty Edward Cullen has done to upset you."

"Uncle? We're about the same age, Seth, I certainly don't think of you like an uncle. More like a pesky younger brother or cousin maybe," I said laughing.

"You cut me, Isabella, you're a cruel woman," he said grinning widely but clutching his heart.

"Edward Cullen is, well, Edward Cullen, an enigma in his own right. He's pig-headed and arrogant, rude and obnoxious, and he annoys the shit out of me every time he opens his mouth."

"Wow, those are pretty strong words there, Swan. He thinks highly of you, just so you know. He told me he rates you highly, too; feels that they were lucky to snap you up so early in your career. Edward likes to run a tight ship up there; if he's singing your praises so early on, you must've made a good impression."

"It's not me that's the problem, Seth, it's him. He can't open his mouth without insulting me, or you for that matter."

"He insulted me? Tell me more. Do I need to kick his arse?"

"It was over the flowers; when I told him they were from you, he said, and I quote, 'Seth Clearwater sent you flowers?' He said it like it was something that was just not done. He also said that he obviously didn't know you as well as he thought."

"And you took exception to that did you? I don't think it was an insult, Bella, more of an observation. We spoke about it the other night. He was just surprised I sent you flowers."

"Why would he even be interested? And why _did_ you send me flowers?"

"Do I need a reason to send a pretty lady who I happen to like a lot flowers? Oh, and Edward _is_ interested, I think that's his problem."

"What? What do you mean?" My heart was now pounding in my chest as I waited for some sort of clarification.

"Look, just don't shoot the messenger, okay? I think, first of all, I need to tell you what I've seen, or rather observed, from both of you. Bella, you like him, Edward that is. Jesus, every time I mention his name, you blush and look at your shoes. You wouldn't have used such strong words about him if you didn't feel something. I know you're not interested in me. Sure, you like me, using your own words, like a younger brother or cousin, but you don't blush when you talk to me, and I can see pretty clearly that the 'like' you have for me is different from the 'like' you have for Edward. Bella, if you like him, talk to him. But also know that I'm an option."

I gulped down the panic that was starting to rise in my throat. Did Seth just say he wanted me to consider him as a possible suitor? Shit, no way, I mean I liked him, a lot, but as a boyfriend, um, no, just…no. At least I didn't think I could think of him like that.

"Don't be silly, Seth, he's my boss," I threw back at him. "Besides, there's a strict no-fraternization policy in place that coincidently he insisted be put in everyone's contract. He's not interested in me, not like that, anyway."

"How do you know? Has he said so? And stop trying to hide behind the no-fraternization policy for fucks' sake. Just like fucking Cullen," he added quietly.

"No, he doesn't need to, why would he be interested in me? I mean look at me; I'm hardly in his league now am I? Look, I think he's probably not used to having someone challenge him in his domain, that's all it is. Jasper and Emmett seem to let him have his way most of the time from what I've observed so far. He's nothing but a spoiled chauvinistic pig."

Seth shook his head at my little rant. "Bella, can I be honest with you? Even though you might not like what I have to say?"

"Of course you can, Seth. I'm a big girl; I can handle whatever it is you have to say," I held up three of my fingers like a girl guide.

"Okay, so, from an outsider looking in, this is what I see and what I've witnessed. You're a beautiful young woman, Bella, confident in the workplace, less so outside of your comfort zone. I think that you have little experience with men, probably because you've given all your attention to school and then your career. Am I right so far?"

I nodded, but wanted to correct him about the being beautiful thing.

"I think you're attracted to Edward, a man who can have any woman he wants and it's thrown you. I'm guessing you've not had a reaction like this before and it's making you act differently than usual. You need to talk to him, Bella. Look, if I tell you this, you have to promise me you'll do something about it. You won't let this...opportunity go to waste."

"Just tell me, Seth; I'm not making you any promises, though."

He sighed deeply before carrying on. "He's struggling just as much as you are. He's attracted to you because you're beautiful and brilliant and totally on his wavelength when it comes to work. You're his equal, Bella; you challenge him and he doesn't know how to handle that. In all the time I've known him, he's never had a girlfriend. Sure, he's taken loads of woman out, fancy dinners, social events, but they were just dates of necessity, Bella. He doesn't do relationships. Like you, he's married to his work. Enter one Isabella Swan and bang, he's a goner. He told me about the spark, Bella. He's not wrong is he, telling me that you felt it, too?"

"No, I felt it, too, on more than one occasion," I looked down at my now-empty plate.

"See, Bella, he's not the arrogant idiot he's making himself out to be. He's running scared. Why do you think he went to Paris? I'll tell you what I told him. You need to talk to each other. Jesus, if this thing, whatever it is, is so strong, then I think you both deserve to explore it, give it a chance, give each other the chance. I know what you're going to say, the fucking no-fraternization policy, and yeah, he's worried about the same thing, too. But you're both professionals, Bella. Even if this doesn't work out, I think you can both deal with the working together thing."

"Did he ask you to talk to me?" I asked him wanting to know the truth.

"No, he didn't, I offered. This is messing with his head, Bella, he's all over the place and he hates it. I've never seen him like this before, ever. I recognised that someone who knew you both needed to help you along a little. I was going to see if you felt like he did, report back, and let him take it from there. I'm right, though, aren't I? You like him, too, and you're feeling all the things Edward is feeling."

"Yes, Seth, I admit it. He has me in a flat spin, so much so that I've even confessed to my girlfriends about him. Believe me; I wouldn't do that if this were not throwing me a curveball, too. So what now?"

"Well, I guess I should tell him it's game on."

"Believe me, Seth, this is no game."

"I know; sorry, bad choice of words. I'll talk to him and let him know it's up to him now."

I thought things over for a few minutes before responding. "No, don't tell him, leave it to me."

"Bella, what are you up to?

**So what do you think she'll do?**

**Let me know!**

**Until next time…**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Firm**

**I continue to be blown away with all your comments. Keep them coming, I love reading them.**

**Thanks as usual to Dollybigmomma for her magic fingers and continued belief that I can do better.**

**SM owns it all, me nothing, nada.**

**Chapter 11**

**Edward**

The days after I met with Seth were weird. They were weird because Bella was avoiding; avoiding me, avoiding everyone. She was holed up in her office from early morning to late at night, her blinds firmly closed. Even Newton was sent packing with a flea in his ear. That had made me laugh; it was the only bit of emotion I had shown since she had sent me packing the other day.

I wondered how long it would be before Seth took her for lunch. There was nothing in the diary for the rest of the week so it was not scheduled anytime soon. I wondered if he was trying to kill me, get me out of the picture so he could swoop in, claiming her for himself. No, he wouldn't dare. Would he?

Friday was not a day I was looking forward to; Jasper, in his wisdom, had invited a whole load of university graduates to look around. He was keen on expanding and wanted to show any potential law grads a taste of what could be theirs if they gave up the next few years of their lives to study. The constant stream of comings and goings were seriously fucking with my concentration. The noise…oh, wow, the noise was annoying. I knew I wasn't the only one bothered by it because I observed Bella pack up and leave much earlier than normal, obviously having gotten sick of the noise, too. I wondered for a moment if she was going to meet Seth then remembered that he was back in Forks at some Tribal conference.

I sat back down in my chair and swung back and forth, my concentration gone. It meant I would have to come in over the weekend again to play catch-up. At least it would be quiet and I might actually get something done.

Saturday turned out to be quite productive. I spent the best part of six hours with my head down and felt much better when I decided it was time to pack up and go home. It also meant that I would only need to do a short stint tomorrow to be fully up to date. I had a dinner with my parents planned for six o'clock tomorrow so if I worked until two o'clock, it still gave me plenty of time to go home and get ready.

Saturday night had me arguing with Jasper and Emmett about the fact that I did not want to go out. They wanted to do the whole club thing, but I was so not interested in that. Loud music, if that was what you could even call it. Hot sweaty bodies thrusting up against you when you really didn't want it, girls and women throwing themselves at you, letting you know they were up for anything. And I meant anything. No, all that had no appeal to me. I stuck to my guns and stayed in with a couple of cold beers and some good reading material.

I decided I needed to send Seth a text, asking him when he planned to go fishing, as he had so delicately put it. I pressed send before I could change my mind. I needed to know what the time scales were so I could be prepared. He did not reply. Why did that not surprise me?

It was just after eleven thirty the next morning when I let myself into the offices, the weekend security team now well used to my off-hour comings and goings. I nodded at the guard and he gave me a small smile in acknowledgement. I took the lift up and relaxed for the few minutes it took to get to the executive floor by leaning against the wall.

I loved the peace and quiet. I had considered bringing my iPod and docking station, but after all the noise on Friday, I quickly decided against it. Everything was serene, everything in its place, nothing moved. It meant I could get on, and then get out of here in just a few hours.

I was soon lost in the work I had to do, reading, making notes, and preparing for a court date next week. I lost track of time, the bottle of water I had brought with me long since emptied, and I was thirsty. A quick glance at my watch showed me that I had about another hour before I needed to be making tracks. I wanted to go home and shower and change before heading out to my parent's place.

The luxury kitchen on this floor housed a state-of-the-art monster fridge that was kept full to the brim with bottled water, cans of pop, and energy drinks, as well as a selection of fresh fruits to snack on. I selected a couple of bottles of water as well as a banana and an apple before making my way back to my office.

I kicked the door closed behind me, but stopped and turned when I realised it did not shut. It did not shut because Bella was stood there, her right hand held up, stopping the door from closing. She moved forward and I immediately took a step back, a little intimidated by her confident stance. I swallowed down a gulp of panic as she moved slowly into my office and closed the door behind her.

"Edward, Seth tells me that we need to talk."

Fuck, how did I respond to that? She looked amazing, dressed casually in tight black jeans and an even tighter red vest top. I could feel the now-familiar stirring in my groin. Shit, that was all I needed, a boner when she was stood right in front of me. I decided to take the bull by the horns.

"What did he tell you?" I asked nervously, shaking a little.

"He said we should talk and I thought it best to do that when no one else was around. Was I right in doing that?"

"Yeah, you were, good thinking. Please, sit down."

She sat in one of the large black leather armchair while I chose to sit behind my desk. The distance between us helped settle my nerves a little, and hide my erection.

"Why don't you have a futon or sofa in here, Edward?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know, a sofa, like mine? If you did, you wouldn't have needed to sleep on mine the other night."

"You know about that, huh?" I asked her a little confused.

"Who do you think tucked you in and gave you a pillow? You looked pretty cute asleep on my futon."

It was my turn to blush now and I could tell she was enjoying my squirming. She had me at a disadvantage because she knew what Seth had said, but I was treading water in the dark.

"Thank you for that, I didn't realise you knew I'd done that. I'm sorry for invading your space. I was whacked after the long flight."

"I'm not worried or upset about you being in my office, Edward. In fact, to tell you the truth, I kind of liked it," she blushed and looked down at her black Converse.

"You liked it? So, you actually were sniffing that pillow the next morning like I thought? I thought that had to be my imagination."

She looked up at me from under her thick dark eyelashes, a deep blush clearly visible on her neck and beautiful face. When our eyes met, we held each other's stare for an age before we both moved at the same time. I was out of my chair and around my desk in a flash.

We moved fast, yet it seemed slow, before standing in front of each other millimetres apart. My eyes never left her lovely face and her eyes for once did not leave mine. She was, however, a lovely shade of rosy pink, her cheeks even a little darker. The blush as usual went straight to my dick.

Wanting to hide my obvious arousal, I moved even closer, raising my right hand and caressing her cheek. It was hot from the blush and that did nothing to dampen my throbbing hard-on. My thumb boldly ran over her soft open lips and a small gasp escaped from her. I smiled knowing now that she did feel like I did. It was both painful and yet a relief. Dare I allow myself to try? Could we try?

"Bella?" I whispered in question, bending my head to kiss her.

"Yes," she replied in an almost unheard gasp before our lips met and the explosions started. I felt like my head was erupting, crazy sensations flashing before my eyes as well as jolts of electricity coursing through my whole body. I groaned; I could not help it. She moved closer, lifting her arms up and linking them behind my head as she pulled me closer and deepened the kiss, taking it to a whole other level. Shit, I was dying right now and definitely not going to heaven.

She tasted divine, her tongue tentatively touched my bottom lip and my knees nearly buckled under me. Now it was my turn to take back some control, my right hand still on her cheek, caressing, kneading. My left joined in and circled her waist, pulling her even closer to me all the way down our bodies. Shit, that was probably not the best idea since she would now feel my arousal, but right now I didn't care, she needed to know how I felt, know just what she did to me.

Dragging us apart, I looked down at her; fuck, she was even more beautiful when she had just been kissed. Her eyes were hooded and full of lust. I knew they reflected my own. Her lips were now swollen and so inviting, and I could not resist bending down again slowly and taking her bottom lip between my own. This time the kiss was deeply sensual and I did not want it to end. Ever.

"You're so beautiful, so, so beautiful," I told her honestly between kisses as we both tried to catch our breaths.

"Edward, please, kiss me again. Please, I want you to so badly."

Her heartfelt request melted me and any doubts or concerns I had right now evaporated right before my eyes. She wanted me, this, as much as I did. When her hands threaded through my hair at the back of my neck, she offered me her lips once again; then she moaned as our tongues met and danced, exploring, feeling. I could not have gotten close enough to her had I tried. I wanted all of her.

I knew things were going too fast, we needed to stop before we got too carried away. If we did not stop now, we wouldn't be able to. Well, I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to. From her actions, I knew that Bella, too, was on the edge. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. But this, whatever the fuck this was, was more than sex; hell, I didn't just want a quick fuck or a fuck buddy. I wanted Bella to be more to me than that. She deserved more and was worth more than some meaningless fling to scratch an itch.

In reality, I was only a man, though, and I would have loved to fuck her, hard and fast, but also slowly and sensually, ensuring that we both thoroughly enjoyed each other. Was sex like that called making love? If that was what it was I wanted to do with her, then so be it. I had never before made love with a woman. I'd had a handful of one-night stands and occasional hook-ups, but never, not once, had I made love with someone. I wanted to explore this more, see what this thing between us could be. I wondered for a second if she wanted the same. I just knew she was no way the sort of girl who had casual sex or brief affairs with colleagues. No, this had to mean something to her, too. I hoped so, anyway.

Forcing myself to be good and be the head of reason, I took control of my lust and pulled us apart once again.

"Can we talk? I mean I love kissing you, Bella, but I really think we need to slow down before we get carried away."

"Oh, um, okay, here or away from the office?"

"I think we need to do it soon, Bella. Don't get me wrong, kissing you is...well, it's as perfect as I dreamed it'd be, but I think we need to go a little slower here and figure some things out; decide where we go from here."

"I liked it, too, the kiss that is. So, shall we move into my office? My sofa is far more comfortable than your chairs."

It felt so right when she took my hand and led me out of my office and towards hers. The spark was still there, electric pulses shot up my arm and down my torso all the time our hands were connected. The hum it left gave me a sense of calm and I followed her in a daze.

She closed the door behind us and moved slowly towards the sofa. We sat close, but did not touch; it would have been the end of talking if I touched her again. I ached to undress her slowly and lower her onto her back while I worshipped every centimetre of her delectable body.

"I'm sorry I've been an arse, Bella. This," I gesture between us, "has had me all over the place and I've been acting like a prized idiot. I'm so sorry if I've caused you any upset. Look, I'm guessing you've talked to Seth, did he tell you that we talked?

"Yeah, I had lunch with him yesterday. He said some quite interesting stuff. He was quite upfront with me, told me some home truths about his observations."

"Yeah, he was straight to the point with me, too. He didn't upset you did he?"

"No, Edward, I'm a big girl. I think what he said was generally spot on. He apparently could see what was happening between us before either of us would acknowledge it. He also threw his hat into the ring. I think you should know that."

"He did? He told me he was going to give me some time and the opportunity to explore this before he stepped in. So I guess I need to ask you, are you interested in Seth?"

"I'm interested in you, Edward," she clasped my hand, linking our fingers and I smiled. It felt right, natural, and that was with all the jolts I was feeling right now.

"That's good, because I'm very interested in you, too. But we need to discuss the no-fraternization policy. I mean I was the one who insisted on that policy being included in all employees' contracts. However, I think we need to talk about things when we're both a little less, how shall I say this, keyed up. Maybe it'd be better if we talked about it somewhere more public, because right now all I want to do so badly is kiss the hell out of you." My thumb continued to caress her palm and the feeling was just wonderful. "So, Bella, I think for now I'd just like to kiss you. I have to leave pretty soon because I have a dinner date with my family, but I'm okay for another twenty minutes or so."

"Edward," she groaned as she pulled herself closer to me.

Our lips met, gentle at first, then as her hands grabbed hold of my hair and started to pull, we both deepened the kiss. God, she felt incredible in my arms. It would have been so easy now to lay her down on the futon and make love to her. She would have let me, too; all her reactions told me she would have been a willing partner. But it was too soon, I had too much respect for her to take her on the very first occasion we kissed and talked about us being a possibility.

She started to crawl into my lap, moving to straddle me, but I had to stop her. If she were to straddle me and I had her hot and ready core so close, I would lose what little control I had left. As gently as I could, I pushed her shoulders back a little bit.

Her eyes met mine, hers full of shock and if I was not mistaken, they were glazed over with tears.

"You don't want me?" she asked quietly, gnawing on her bottom lips again.

"Bella, baby, please don't see this as rejection. I want you so badly right now, but I want to do this right. I want us to take our time, get to know each other properly before jumping into a physical relationship. Please trust me, I want you so much, but I want you and me to work even more."

She appeared to be pondering on my words as she settled herself back on the sofa next to me. I pulled her closer and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in tight. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head and told her, "I wish we could stay here like this all day, it feels wonderful having you here in my arms."

"I like it, too, but Edward, I think I prefer it when you kiss me," she told me boldly.

How could I refuse her? My lips took hers, this time passionately. The kiss was deep and I loved it. My hands this time were the ones that raked through Bella's hair as I pulled her closer and closer. It was hard to believe that we had only kissed for the first time such a short while ago. My lips felt like they knew hers inside and out, our tongues danced and explored like they knew every crevice. Our kisses soon became more sensuous, slow, deep, and toe-curling beyond description. We really had to stop now or this time I would not be able to.

"Bella, love," I pleaded, dragging my lips from hers. It was agony, but I had to be strong. "Baby, we need to stop before we can't. I really do need to go. I need to go home, get a shower and change before I go to my mum and dad's place. Shall we arrange to meet after work tomorrow? You name the place and I'll be there, I promise." I held her hands in mine, once again trying to convey with all that I was how much I wanted to do this properly.

She sighed. "Do you really have to go now?"

"I'm sorry, love, but I do. I've been putting my poor mum off for weeks now. I swore I wouldn't let her down today. I really am sorry."

"Okay, so I'll see you around the office tomorrow? You'll be at the Monday meeting, right?"

"I'll make sure I'm in, and yes, I'll be at this weeks' meeting in person, I promise."

"Right, then I'll be thinking of somewhere we can go to talk; somewhere you'll feel safe, somewhere public so I don't attack you," she laughed and it melted my heart to hear it.

"I think I like the idea of you attacking me, Bella, but somewhere not too close to the office, somewhere with no prying eyes."

I leaned my head towards hers and rested my forehead on hers. It felt right, comfortable.

"I could get used to being this close to you, Miss Swan," I told her, pulling her close for a hug.

"Me, too, Mr. Cullen, me, too." She kissed me then, long and hard, but this time she kept things restrained.

I left her sat on her sofa as I made my way out of her office and back to my own to clear up before I headed home. I touched my lips, wanting to recall every second of every kiss we had shared. It felt like it was not real. Hell, only this morning I had been fretting over Seth's lunch date with her and now just a few hours later, we had kissed, and oh what kisses they had been, and we had held each other tightly. And more surprising than anything was that she felt exactly the same as me. I grinned from ear to ear before closing my office door and heading home.

**So how did I do? Their kisses were pretty steamy weren't they?**

**Next chapter we'll hear from bo****th of them.**

**Okay so I am changing my ISP provider and they tell me I may go offline for a few days. I will try to update at the weekend via my phone. That should be fun trying. Please bear with me.**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Firm**

**Thanks again for reading and reviewing. Do we think they are going to give in to their feelings? **

**Dollybigmomma rocks as beta.**

**Chapter 12**

**BELLA**

I was so glad I had managed to pluck up the courage to get off the lift after going up and down repeatedly, trying to steady my resolve and get off on the executive floor. I almost didn't manage it due to my nerves and second-guessing everything, but it had been well worth it as Edward and I laid our cards out on the table. God, that man could kiss, and I feared I was in danger of spontaneously combusting just from his presence. It was a relief to know we were on the same page as far as our feelings went; we just needed to figure out what we were going to do about it.

Once Edward took his leave from my office, I stayed sat down for a few minutes. I wanted to bask in the memories of his lips on mine, his tongue in my mouth and mine in his. I would swear I moaned once again at the feel of just the memory. If his kisses had me responding like this, god only knew what his hands and mouth on the rest of my body would be like.

I felt like I wanted to sing from the rooftops, but until Edward and I sorted this out properly, I needed to keep this under my hat. I sent Seth a quick text with just the words, _thank you_. I hoped he would understand the meaning.

Back at home, I pottered about with a stupid grin on my face. Household chores took twice the usual time because I kept drifting off, recalling our kisses. Then I'd have to stop, touch my lips, and close my eyes, letting Edward and his kisses permeate all around me. I could not help but smile. I could not even remember when I had last been so happy.

I slept like the dead Sunday night. I was all "Edwarded" out and it felt wonderful. When I woke to my alarm the next morning, I found that I had not moved an inch in more than ten hours. Huh, I guess I had needed that. Turning my alarm off, I saw that I had two messages. The first was from Seth.

_**I take it things went well?**_

_**I'm so glad for you both, Bella, he's a top guy.**_

I smiled when I deleted his message, poor Seth. I wondered how hard it was for him to step aside and allow Edward to explore the possibility of a relationship with me. I hoped he found someone wonderful and worthy of his love soon. If Edward hadn't been around and I didn't have these feelings for him, I wondered for a second if Seth would be my sort of guy.

The next message was from Edward and my heart skipped a couple of beats when I saw his name.

_**Hey,**_

_**I was going to call you just to say goodnight, but it was late when I got home. My parents kept me fully entertained all evening and I didn't want to wake or disturb you.**_

_**So, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed earlier at the office. I can't believe it happened, if I'm being honest. I keep thinking about those kisses, Bella, and well, needless to say, I want to do it again and again and again. Sorry, just saying.**_

_**I presume you'll be in to work early as usual. I'll get us a coffee and meet you in your office at say half seven?**_

**_Edward_.**

I had an hour to get ready, an hour before I saw him again. I squealed like a fourteen-year-old girl as I swiftly made my way to the bathroom.

None of my typical office attire seemed appropriate today. I wanted to look sexy and dynamic all at the same time. I wanted to make Edward want me even more than he did yesterday when I was dressed casually in jeans and a vest top. I found the perfect "little black dress." I had forgotten all about this dress, Alice had nabbed it for me at one of the many fashion shows she'd attended. It was by Dior, simple and elegant, and it made me feel like a million dollars. It was a shift dress that stopped a bit above the knee. It fit me to perfection and hinted at a lot and promised even more while retaining a professional look as well. I matched it simply with a pair of black kitten heels and striking silver jewellery. Not too much, though, just a thick rope of silver beads around my neck, a simple bangle bracelet, and matching earrings. I quickly glanced in the mirror before I set off, satisfied that I was indeed dressed for the kill.

He was already in my office when I arrived, a first as far as I could recall since I had joined the firm.

"Edward, good morning," I smiled as I stepped inside the office and closed the door behind me. He stood up and waited for me to approach, his outstretched hand waiting for mine.

"You look lovely, how am I supposed to stay professional and keep my hands off of you if you dress like that?" he asked genuinely as I slipped my hand into his. The sparks tingled and it felt wonderful now knowing what it was.

He pulled me into his open arms and I went to him happily. His lips met mine in a flash and all at once, reality ceased to exist. This was Edward and me, it was everything, perfect. I did not care that I was messing his hair up far more so than it usually was. I wanted him closer so I pulled and tugged, trying to get closer and deeper into his mouth. Our kisses felt wonderful. He felt wonderful wrapped around me, our bodies, although fully clothed, touching in the most intimate of ways.

"Edward, we should drink our coffee before the rest of the office staff arrive," I told him pulling back a little. His head lowered once again, only this time he latched on to my neck. Soft kisses and sensual nibbles ensued before my legs gave way and he had to catch me as I fell.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked guiding me to the sofa laughing quietly, a smug smirk on his face.

"I'm good, thank you, a little dazed maybe, and more than a little turned on. My, my, Mr. Cullen, who would've thought that your lips being attached to my neck could provoke such a reaction, but I'm okay, I promise."

He brought over our coffees and we chatted comfortably about his visit to his parents and their subsequent grilling about his love-life. I could feel my blush rise when he mentioned that he hoped he would soon have something concrete to tell them, maybe someone to take home with him.

We held hands again and it was one of my very favourite things to do with him. However, I needed to look up on the internet if the palm of the hand was classified as an erogenous zone, because fuck me, the things his thumb were doing in my hand were downright filthy, and I mean filthy, and I absolutely loved it. It made me feel all light-headed and sexy and I wanted him desperately.

He must have heard when the others started to arrive because he moved away from me and turned all professional and stern-looking. Even my raised eyebrows did not bring him back to being the Edward I had seen yesterday and today, my Edward.

"So, I guess I'll see you at the meeting then?" he said looking a little embarrassed.

"You will; shall we walk there together?"

"Probably best not to. I can hardly keep my hands to myself as it is without you being so close. That dress is...well, it's a challenge is what it is. Oh, and just to let you know, if Newton so much as even looks in your direction, I'm going to fire his ass. The Neanderthal in me comes out big time around you, Bella, so be forewarned."

I laughed out loud because I knew he meant it. It sent shivers down my spine in a good way. I really liked the horny protective Edward. I felt a sense of sadness when he closed the door behind him as he left. _Roll on eight thirty_, I thought to myself.

**EDWARD**

As usual, my parents grilled me hard. Have you met anyone, Edward? Anyone new in your life, Edward? Why do you never bring a girl home, Edward? On and on both my parents droned. I think I switched off halfway through; my thoughts drifting back to the sassy brunette whose lips had been locked onto my own just a few hours prior. I would have sworn her scent was still all around me. Impossible, I knew, as I had showered for a good twenty minutes when I'd gotten home, using a body wash that was nothing like Bella's scent. The shower had taken longer than I had anticipated because my dick refused to forget about how she felt attached to my lips and how good her body felt up close to mine.

I slept pretty well for me. I had always survived on about four hours, catching up periodically, usually after a night out with Em and Jazz. Tonight, however, I had gone out like a light. I'd thought long and hard about ringing her just to hear her voice when I had gotten home. But it was late and I didn't want to wake her so I sent a text. When she did not respond, I knew I had made the right choice. She was asleep already.

I was in extra early this morning. I wanted to have Bella's coffee ready and cool my nerves before she arrived. I was kicking myself now for telling her to be here at half past seven. I should have said seven, it would have given us an hour to catch up, kiss a little. Now I only had thirty minutes before the others would arrive and take her away from me.

When she walked into her office, she was a vision. My dick stirred once again and I was powerless to even try to calm him down. I would swear she was trying to give me a serious case of terminal blue balls as sexy as she looked. I moaned internally, knowing once again that I was done for.

She obviously had no idea that she was killing me slowly.

My office, once a place of completely blissful solitude for me, now felt empty and cold. I missed her warmth, her laughter, and hell yes; I would admit I just missed her. I wondered for a minute how the others would react if I asked to have our offices combined. Mmm…sharing an office with Bella; I doubted any work would get done. Shit, I could hardly control myself from over here, never mind if we were in the same room all day. It sounded like an idea I might like to consider for the future, though. I chuckled to myself and stored the thought for future use.

A clipped knock on my door had Jessica popping her head around the door telling me it was time for the meeting.

With a deep breath, I picked up all my papers and a pen and made my way to the conference room. She was already there; sat in the seat she had taken since she had been here. Sat next to her was that fucker, Newton, his eyes dancing as they all but undressed her. I coughed loudly and glared at him. He visibly trembled and moved his chair away from her a little. A wry smile crossed Bella's face, but she did not look at me. She didn't need to, she had me and we both knew what was going on here.

I found myself drifting in and out of concentration, not like me at all. I was usually the one questioning, challenging at every turn. Today I said nothing; even my own update was short and to the point. I did, however, stress the point that we needed to resolve the fact that someone else needed to take over the Paris case. That person needed to be in Paris to get to know the client and spend time looking into the case, seeing what they could uncover. I did not get any volunteers, everyone was non-committal. It was going to be carried forward to the next meeting to be addressed more urgently.

I felt myself listening intently as Bella told us about her court case. It was a success with Seth's help. We all made the right noises and congratulated Bella on her first success with the firm. Her voice continued in my head long after she had stopped talking. Newton was talking and I wasn't even listening so I got quite a surprise when Jessica's elbow in my side brought me out of my stupor. I had to stop this, this was so not me. Edward Cullen was well known for being on the ball, way ahead of any competition, always switched on. Today, however, I was a love-sick pathetic man who needed to sort his love-life out before it ruined his business as well as his career.

"Sorry, Mike, what was that?"

He droned on and on, all of it unnecessary drivel. The man was a complete buffoon. Who was he trying to impress? Bella? Surely not; the look on her beautiful face told me she thought he was an idiot. He was obviously attempting to talk big, but he was failing miserably and making himself look like a right prat.

"Is there any point to your diatribe?" I asked sounding bored.

He got up, pushing his chair back aggressively and stormed out of the room.

"Are we done here?" I asked directing the question at Jasper.

"It appears we are now, Edward. Was there really any need for that?"

"What? You're complaining at me for saying what you're all thinking?"

"Edward, if this is you on a Monday, does this mean we have to keep out of your way all week? Any diplomacy you had left while you were in Paris," Jasper added.

"You need to get laid, Edward, release some of that tension," Emmett added shaking his head.

I heard before I saw Bella crumble into a quiet chortle. When I looked at her pointedly, she smiled shyly at me, her cheeks bright red, and took her leave.

I moved to follow and heard Emmett shout, "And don't take it out on Bella or you'll have me to answer to!"

I followed her out and to her office door.

"Come into mine, Bella, please, and close the door behind you," I told her much harsher than I meant to.

She did as I asked anyway and stood a little unsure just in front of the now-closed door. Thankfully, I had closed my blinds earlier. We would be unobserved.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say that like it came out."

"It's fine, I know what you meant."

"So, what the hell was that...noise in there? Are you really trying to kill me, Bella? God, when Emmett said I should get laid, I didn't expect you of all people to react like that. Please, have a little sympathy for me here. Yesterday, I thought you understood how I feel about you, how much I want you. So when you do that, it goes without saying that my reaction will be what I'd rather it weren't, especially not here at work, and even more so not in front of Emmett. I want you, Bella; let's not pretend otherwise. And Emmett is right; I really do need to get laid. I need to get laid with you." I laid it all out there for her, nothing left unsaid.

"Oh, Edward, you lovely, beautiful, sexy man," she sighed. "I want you, too, just as much as you want me. But come on, how am I supposed to react when Emmett says something that I know already? It was quite involuntary, I can assure you."

I moved forward, getting closer to her. I intended to kiss her, wrap her in my arms and devour her lips.

"Edward, we can't. If you kiss me now, it'll not be a simple chaste kiss because right now, I need to feel you hard on my lips. When I go out there, everyone will see; everyone will know what we've been doing in here with your blinds closed. Think about it, Edward," she warned me.

I knew she was right, but it did not lessen the need to kiss her. I took her hand in mine and looked down as once again the sparks kicked in.

"This is enough for now," I told her caressing her palm with my thumb. She smiled and I could read in her eyes that she agreed.

"I love this; when you run your thumb over my palm, it feels wonderful. This can be our thing, Edward. Yes, the kisses are pretty electric and I'm sure the sex, when and if we get to it, will be mind-blowing, but this is something special to me, remember that."

I looked at her, "When Bella, not if. And I guarantee it'll be mind-blowing." I reluctantly agreed that for today at least, here in the office, I would not kiss her. Well, maybe a little at lunch, but we would see. I nodded in agreement that our little touches and hand-holding would be our thing, at least for now. It seemed to bring us both a sense of peace and calmed us both right down.

Lunchtime came soon enough, and all I seemed to have done since she had gone back to her own office was defend myself. First to Jasper who called me out on chasing after her, then Emmett telling me if she was upset, he was going to "rearrange my pretty face" for me. I almost called her in to help me out. I needed her to tell them both that I did nothing wrong. Eventually, they left me alone, both having spoken to Bella who had confirmed I did nothing worthy of their wrath. They grumbled a little, making me think that they had almost wanted to find me at fault. They were supposed to be my friends.

I flatly refused to apologise to Newton, though, silly fucker. I told Jasper with no room for negotiation that he was to be dismissed. We all knew he was not pulling his weight. He was an airy fairy, a lightweight in his knowledge, and even lighter in his application towards work. Even Jessica seemed to be distancing herself from him. I gave Jasper a week before I did it myself.

I knocked quietly on Bella's office door and entered only at her invitation. I had bought us lunch.

"Come on in, I'm starving," she said moving out from behind her desk and walking towards me. I raised my eyebrows when she leaned in briefly to drop a soft sweet peck on my lips. "What?" she asked taking both sandwiches from me. She sat down on her sofa and patted the seat next to her. "Which do you fancy?" she asked innocently. I shook my head at her matter-of-fact approach.

"Are you referring to the sandwiches, Bella?" I asked knowing she would blush.

"Edward," she playfully slapped my arm, but I was right; the blush rose from below the neckline of that killing-me-slowly dress.

"So, have you found us somewhere to meet later?" I asked taking a bite of the ham sandwich she passed to me.

"Yeah, a little place not far from the waterfront. About fifteen minutes in the car. We can both drive our own cars from here so we arrive separately. I hope that's okay. It's a little bistro, Italian; I hope that's okay and not too presumptuous.

"No, I like that we're going to eat as well as talk. It'll be like a first date. You did good, Miss Swan."

"I aim to please, Mr. Cullen, I aim to please. So, we'll leave here at seven like usual. The table is booked for seven thirty under Swan," she told me as I headed back to my own office for the rest of the day.

"Looking forward to it," I told her as I closed the door.

I really was looking forward to it, too. It had been a long time since I had gone out on a real date. Yes, I'd had plenty of "dates," but they were all either business-related or platonic. This one I was excited about. Once we got the talking out of the way, I was excited to see where this could lead.

**So plain sailing from now on? **

**I did say it was going to be slow-burn. Just saying!**

**Major problems at home with internet access. Future chapter will be delayed a little. Sorry.**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Firm**

**I'm back online and will update weekly from now on. Hope you can all live with that.**

**I love how everyone is so invested in this. Thank you all!**

**Dollybigmomma rules the magic pen world. All applause should go to her.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

**Chapter 13 **

**BELLA**

By five thirty, I was done with work. I couldn't concentrate anymore. My thoughts were only with the man across the hall. I kept wandering back and forth to my bathroom. The clothes I had selected for tonight now seemed inappropriate. The skinny jeans and dressy gold-striped top now felt a little over-the-top and I wondered if I had time to shoot off home and pick out something else.

An urgent call from a client put paid to my thought of leaving early so I had to make do with the jeans and gold top. On reflection, once I was freshly showered and they were on, it did not look too bad. The top was not as dressy as I first thought and the flecks within the gold toned it right down. I matched it with ballet flats so hopefully I would at the very least stay upright. With makeup touched up and a deep breath, I went to call for my date.

I knocked quietly on his already-open office door. No reply. Huh, that seemed funny.

"Edward? Are you in here?" I called as I made my way into the room.

The room was empty, but I could hear the shower in his bathroom. He was not ready yet. I made to leave, not wanting to disturb him.

"Where are you going?" his sultry voice asked from behind me.

I turned and wished immediately that I hadn't. He was stood looking, well, glorious in black jeans open at the top for now with no shirt on. My hoo-hah did a celebratory dance and my clean panties were now uncomfortably wet. Shit, he looked good enough to eat. I wanted to kiss and lick his bare chest. I felt like a perv for gawping at him. I knew my mouth was wide open, but how else could a girl react?

The smirk on his face told me he knew exactly what was going on in my head. As he turned to head back into the bathroom, he said, "I'll be two minutes, Bella, make yourself at home." He disappeared then, leaving me to my very dirty thoughts.

As I sat waiting, I made sure I crossed my legs, giving myself at least a little bit of friction. Hell, after controlling myself in front of that, I figured I deserved it. He was back in no time, this time fully-clothed. Damn it. He had matched the black jeans with a crisp white shirt and he looked oh so good. His hair was still a little damp from his shower and his smell was positively mouth-watering. I knew I was staring once again.

"Come on then, Bella, we don't want to be late for our first date, do we?" he said as he pulled me up from where I had been sat.

The office was quiet, no one else was here. He took my hand in his as we walked to the lift. It felt nice, I liked it. In the lift, he pushed me gently up against the wall, pressing his body to mine.

"You look and smell divine," he said and kissed me tenderly. "I've wanted to do that all day," he told me nuzzling into my neck with a groan. "You smell so good, so good."

In the lobby, we stepped out, no longer hand in hand. No point in making a show for Quil, not that he would pay much attention, but we both just knew. Once we were in the corridor leading to the company's underground parking facility, he linked his fingers with mine. I looked down and smiled.

"I like this," I told him honestly and was met with a huge smile.

He followed me in his car; I had a GPS and typed in the address of the restaurant. It took only fifteen minutes to arrive.

Our table was towards the back of the restaurant and private, set in an alcove. I liked it and I didn't even have to ask to be hidden away.

Edward ordered us both a glass of red wine while we looked at the menus. All of a sudden, I was so nervous, I didn't know if I would be able to eat.

"So what are you having, Bella?"

"It all looks good, but chicken, I think."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same."

We ordered a starter and talked while we shared it, keeping conversation work-related for now. The tension seemed to build as we waited for out entrees.

He took my hand across the table, stroking my palm and it felt wonderful.

"So, the no-fraternization policy, we can't just ignore it because I wrote, Bella. I put it in people's contracts for a reason. Of course, I didn't know it was going to be me that would be affected by it," he started, all the while touching my hand. "What I'm going to say now in no way reflects how I feel about you and I'd ask that you hear me out before reacting." My stomach dropped to the soles of my feet at those words.

"I think this thing between us is more than just physical. I mean I'd like it to be, anyway, and I get the feeling you do, too. Am I right?" I nodded to him.

"Good, so in view of the no-fraternization policy, I was thinking that for now, we keep things between us hush-hush. Let's us find out where this is going before we announce anything."

I immediately took my hand back. He looked shocked at my sudden withdrawal.

"You want to keep us quiet? Does that not make this," I gestured between us, "cheap, clichéd, and a little tacky?" I asked him genuinely wanting to know how he felt.

He reached over for my hand again, but I withdrew it from the table and placed both my hands in my lap.

"Bella, I'm sorry if what I said upsets you, but this is new to both of us. What happens if we tell everyone and in a few weeks we decide it isn't working? Is it not better to wait and see, kill two birds with one stone so to speak?"

"Look, Edward, I don't have casual relationships. If I thought for a moment that this was just a temporary thing, I would not have even contemplated it. I don't want to hide how I feel about you, either at work or at home, anywhere."

"Bella, please, try and see it from my point of view. I set up the company; it was me that insisted that no employees, or partners for that matter, have relationships with each other. It makes for a more harmonious workplace. I didn't know I was going to meet you. Hell, I never even dreamed I'd find someone I wanted to spend time with at work, ever. Look, you know I want you, Bella, I've not pretended otherwise, but I need to get my head around what to do about the policy, and if I'm honest, I don't want the likes of Jessica and Mike Newton knowing my private business. Please try to understand where I'm coming from."

"I do understand, Edward. Like you, I don't want my personal life hung out for all to see, but I just can't pretend for twelve hours a day, five days a week, that you mean nothing to me. I'm not that good an actress."

Our main courses arrived and we ate; well, Edward ate whilst watching me push my ravioli around my plate. My appetite was gone and I felt sick.

"Bella, don't do this, please don't overthink this. Look, nothing has to change; we can still spend time together. We can have lunch, hang out after everyone has gone, and outside of work, well, providing we keep away from where the others are, we'll be fine. I want to see you, spend time with you. Your place or mine should be fine, too."

The hole he had dug was suddenly getting bigger and bigger. My stomach churned as the starter I had eaten threatened to make a sudden reappearance.

"You make it sound like we're having an illicit affair, Edward. I will not skulk around; I'm not ashamed of what I feel for you. That's not me. Hell, if I want to hold your hand or kiss you, I want to be able to do it anywhere. I will not hide how I feel about you, about us."

"Bella, it doesn't have to be for long, let's review it in say, a month? How does that sound?"

"A month? You want me to pretend that I'm not falling in love with you? You want me to not touch you in public, not kiss you, or even laugh with you for a month? I can't do that, Edward. This…whatever this is, it has to be all or nothing. I refuse to play these silly games. This means more to me than that."

"Bella, please," he pleaded.

"No, Edward, you decide; you either want all of me or none of me. It really is up to you," my eyes begged him to choose me.

His silence, however, spoke volumes. His eyes no longer looked at me, now he looked at his near-empty plate and I knew I had my answer.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I want you so badly and I do want this to work, but I can't and won't be the reason for the office gossip, I just can't do that. That's not me," he sounded so defeated, using my earlier words and I almost relented.

"I'm sorry, too, Edward, because I think we'd have been great together."

The silence hung heavy between us and I hesitated before saying what I had planned next. How would he react? There was only one way to find out.

"Do you think you could arrange for me to take over in Paris? I really don't want to be around you right now. It'll be just too hard. I need some space and going to Paris will give me that. I know Jasper doesn't want me to go, but I need you to do this for me."

His eyes bore into mine and I had to look away, knowing that I was going to cry at any moment if I continued to look at his face.

"Bella, you don't have to go. I can go back to Paris, give you your space. I don't want to, though. I need to see you; I need to be around you. I hope I can change your mind about us. Please, give me the chance?"

"No, Edward, I want to go and I won't change my mind, not about us, anyway. It's done, we could've been great, but I need more than you're offering. I should've known it wasn't meant to be. I can't be around you right now, it just hurts too much. Look, I'm going to go now. Let me know how much I owe you for dinner and I'll leave the cash on your desk."

With that, I got up and walked away, tears streaming down my face. Yes, he wanted me, he wanted us, but not enough, not enough to be bold and brave and I needed him to do that. I wasn't strong enough, or maybe weak enough, to do what he had asked. I loved him too much to hide our relationship.

**EDWARD **

My mind was all over the place once again as I panicked. Then she said, "I can't pretend I'm not falling in love with you." I didn't think she even realized she had said it. Surely if she was falling in love with me, she wouldn't walk away from us. I wanted to yell at her that I was more than halfway there already myself, but I didn't, like the prized idiot that I was. I just kept justifying my reasons to hide our relationship and she closed herself off more and more with every word. I was in too deep now to even try to backtrack. My pride was at stake here and I just could not stomach the thought of Emmett's ribbing and Jessica's gossiping with all and sundry. My fucking pride would not allow that.

Then something she said hit me hard. She couldn't be around me and wanted to leave me and head to Paris? Well, of course she did. I had just cheapened any feelings either of us might have had by wanting to sneak around like two people having a sordid affair.

She cut me even more by offering to pay for her half of dinner. I was stunned into silence as she left the table. I could see the tears in her eyes as she walked away. My own were not far behind. As she walked away, I said quietly, "Bella, please don't go, I need you."

She either didn't hear or chose to ignore me. I sat in a daze for what seemed like an age. What had I done? The server asking me if I was done brought my attention back to the here and now.

"Can I have the check, please?" I barely managed and paid it on my card before leaving the restaurant, my shoulders dropped, sad, and I knew it was my fault alone.

At home, I replayed over and over my words at the restaurant. Could I have been a little more diplomatic? No, probably not; it was not how I said the words, but the words I had said that had put the final nails in my coffin. I had to know if she was alright. I knew she would not speak to me, not today at least. I sent her a quick text.

**Bella**

**Are you okay?**

**Talk to me please?**

**Edward.**

With a large shot of whiskey in my hand, I waited for her to reply. I waited and waited, but I got nothing so I texted her again.

**Please, just tell me if you're okay.**

It was nearly midnight when my phone finally pinged with an incoming message.

**I'm okay.**

**Sort Paris for me asap.**

**If you don't, I will.**

She really meant to go then, I had driven her away. I sent an email to Jasper telling him that Bella had once again asked to take over in Paris.

I was a coward the next day and did not arrive until well after I knew others would be around. I needed not have worried. She was shut behind her closed door all day, blinds closed, unreceptive to any form of communication, or so I heard Jessica tell Emmett. Me, I didn't even try today, I dared not. I was a coward.

Jasper and I met at lunchtime and we thrashed out Paris. While I was not happy, I got what I had asked for. He begrudgingly relented and finally agreed for Bella to go Paris. After speaking to her himself, he agreed she wanted to do this. As I left to go back to my own office, he shouted, "I don't know what you did to her, Edward, but I suggest you fucking sort it. She looks empty today. She didn't look like that yesterday."

I cringed at his words. I knew it would kill me if I saw her like that.

In the middle of my desk sat a crisp fifty dollar bill with a note stating simply 'my share' attached to it. I sighed loudly as I slumped down in my chair.

When I logged on to my laptop, I could see an email from Seth. It was titled **"GAME ON."**

What the fuck had I done?

**Ducks for cover again. **

**So she's off to gay Paris.**

**Dare I ask you to get us over the 500 reviews mark with this chapter? Even swearing at me is better than nothing. (smiles sweetly)**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Firm**

**Chapter 14**

**I asked and I received, wow _Thank You_ all so much.**

**After a response like that I could hardly keep you waiting now, could I? Just don't expect this to be a regular thing. Okay. Weekly updates from now on ...Wednesdays **

**Dolly and her magic red pen rules the world of ff. **

**You might need tissues. Be warned! Just saying...**

**BELLA**

How I got home, I didn't quite know. The sobs and tears continued to come long after I had closed my door behind me. A hot bath did nothing for my mood. A bottle of wine only made me even more depressed.

When his text arrived, I almost laughed. So now he wanted to know if I was okay. Fucking hypocrite. Fucking beautiful, sexy bastard of a hypocrite.

The next text I was going to ignore, but I smiled at least a little when I saw who it was from. Seth wanted to know how the date had gone. I sent back a simple frowning sad face. My phone rang seconds later.

For the next hour, I cried, talked, and sobbed through the whole episode, with Seth saying all the right things at all the right times. When we finally ended the call, I begged him not to contact Edward. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would be feeling almost as bad as me. Only difference was, Edward's head and pride ruled his heart, unlike my own.

It was not even six thirty when I walked through the lobby at work the next morning. Quil's eyebrows rose and he asked, "Do you ever sleep?"

"Occasionally," I told him as I called the lift to take me up to the executive floor.

I needed to get things ready on the off chance Jasper relented and let me go to Paris. I knew if this did happen that I would have to have an awkward one-on-one with Edward to be brought up to date on that case. That was something I would not be looking forward to, but I would cross that bridge if and when it arose.

Avoiding contact with "him" was going to be difficult, but I made a conscious decision to stay in my office all day. I had brought my lunch and a plentiful supply if water. I answered Jessica's questioned as quickly and as concisely as I could. When Jasper came to talk, I had to stop working and give him my full attention, especially if I wanted to convince him it was the right decision to send me to Paris.

"Edward tells me you've approached him again about Paris."

"I'd love to go, Jasper, I think I'd be the right person to take over the case for Ed...Mr. Cullen."

"Are you okay, Bella?"

"Yes, why?"

"You look a little peaky; exhausted, actually. I didn't notice it yesterday."

"I was up late reading, trying to get things up to date."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I am thank you. So, do you think it might be possible for you to consider me as an option for Paris?"

"If you're sure and you want to go for all the right reasons, I'll consider it."

"The right reasons? Is Nathalie Oberlauge's case not reason enough?" I asked trying to deflect his probing.

"Yes, that's important, Bella, but I need to make sure you're not asking to do this because you're trying to get away from something or someone," he said looking at me intently.

I could feel the blush start to rise. I wondered just how much he knew or thought he had seen.

"I'm sure. I can have all my cases ready to hand over to someone else by the end of tomorrow. Or is that too soon?"

"It doesn't surprise me that you'd be ready so quickly, Bella. You're very efficient; I'll miss that around here if you go. So, you'd need to do a detailed hand-over with Edward. We'll have to check his diary and see when he has half a day free. I'll also need to see who can take over your cases while you're away."

"So, it sounds like it might be possible?" I asked tentatively, not wanting to push my luck.

"Possible, yes, Bella, but while I try to sort everything out, I want you to think about this some more. You'll likely be gone for a few months sorting things out over there. What about your friends and family?"

"My friends would love to visit me in Paris. My family, well, we're not close."

"And there's no one else?"

"No, no one."

"Okay then, I'll talk to Edward at lunch and I guess you, Ms. Swan, are off to Paris."

I wanted to smile, but I couldn't. Instead, tears welled up and started to drip down my cheeks. Fortunately, Jasper had already gone and there was no one to witness my meltdown.

Locked in the quiet of my office, I achieved a lot. When Jessica buzzed me to say I had a visitor, a quick glance at my watch revealed it to be almost five o'clock.

Seth literally bounced into my office and I cringed at his obvious exuberance.

"What has you bouncing off the walls, Mr. Clearwater?"

"Nothing much, I'm just happy to see you, Ms. Swan, although you do look like shit. Sorry, Bella, but you do."

I knew he was just being truthful and I also knew I did look a bit…rough.

He sat on my sofa and patted the seat next to him. I shook my head, knowing if I went over there, I would lose the front I had carefully erected and dissolve into a flood of tears once again. He seemed to understand.

"So, are you going to let me go and kick his arse today?"

"No, I'm fine, Seth, really. Anyway, I have some good news."

He looked dubious. "Good news?"

"Yes, good news for a change; Jasper has agreed that I can take over in Paris. I just need to settle all my outstanding cases, get them ready to hand off to someone else, have a hand-over about the case, and then I'll be gone."

"A hand-over? With Cullen? You'll never get through that, Bella. He'll talk you around."

"No, he won't, and I'll get through it just fine. Thank you for the belief, by the way. Look, Edward knows I won't change my mind on this. I made it quite clear last night, it was all or nothing. He chose nothing. It's done."

"So you're just going to leave then and not give me the chance to win your heart?" he looked crestfallen.

"Seth, please don't do this. I need to do this for me, put some space between Edward and me. Let me fall out of love with him and then I might be in a position to consider other possibilities."

"You're...in love with him?" he sounded shocked and more than a little upset.

"Yes." I look down at my desk, not wanting to see the hurt written all over Seth's face.

He did not deserve this, I mean I never asked for him to like me, and I didn't really flirt - well, only a bit - and he always knew about Edward, how it was Edward that made my blood race and my lady bits tingle.

"Wow, I had no idea it was that serious. Now I feel like a real douche."

"Why?"

"Well, here I am trying to make you see me as a real alternative and here you are really heartbroken. My bad, Bella, I'm sorry."

"Seth, can we just be like we were before, friends, good friends? Look, I really like you, we get on well. I'm just not in the market right now for anything more than friendship. Maybe in time, but right now, I just really don't know."

"Sure, Bella, I don't mean to push you. Just know I'm here and I'm an option, that's all I ask."

We chatted comfortably for a good while before he took his leave. I stayed behind, working on making sure my cases were up to date. I not only shut my door but locked it. I did not want any unexpected, unwanted visitors.

**EDWARD **

Seth's email was concise and straight to the point.

**You fucking idiot!**

**I'm going to kick your arse.**

He probably would, too, especially if he saw the way she looked today according to Jasper.

Over the course of the afternoon, I worked on a hand-over file to give to Bella. I knew she wouldn't want to spend any time in my presence and this would hopefully mean we could cut short both our agony. The half-day Jasper talked about needed only be a quick hour if that. She was not a daft woman; she would pick up all that needed to be done in a heartbeat.

Emmett paid me a visit, but he didn't say much; he just sat in front of me, watching, looking at me, with his hands neatly folded under his chin. Fucker was trying to get a read on me and today I could really do without it. I tried to ignore him, but Emmett was hard to ignore, especially when he was up to something, like now.

"What the fuck do you want, McCarty?" I snarled at him.

"Nothing, Edward, I'm just spending some time with my friend and trying to work out why he looks like he's lost his puppy."

"I've never had a puppy to lose, Emmett."

"I know that, but you've lost something; it's written all over your face. You're much more sullen than usual. And then since you came back from Paris, you've been more than a little jovial, so this permanent scowl has me wondering, what's up?"

"Look, Em, while I appreciate your concern, and I really do, I'm busy here trying to get a hand-over file together for Bella so do you mind?"

"Ah, yes, the lovely Bella Swan, Jasper tells me you've managed to talk him into sending her to Paris. Maybe that's the reason you're so lost. Is Bella going to Paris the reason you look like you've lost your puppy, Edward," he goaded.

"Emmett, fuck off and leave me alone!" I yelled, probably answering more of his questions than I realised.

It was as he was heading out of my office that I spotted who was going into Bella's office across the way. Seth fucking Clearwater. Well, it didn't take that fucker long to start sniffing round now did it? I wondered how he would react when he found out she was going to Paris. I supposed I would get the blame for that, too. Never mind the fact that it was Bella that wanted to go. I certainly didn't want her to go, but she was not going to listen to me anytime soon.

I made sure my office door was only pushed to and not closed properly so I could hear when he left. I wondered again if he would come knocking on my door when he did. He did, although it was a good hour and a half later.

I knew it was him as soon as the loud knock moved my already open door. He came straight in like a whirlwind, slamming the door behind him.

"Come in, Seth, why don't you, and close the door behind you. Oh, you've already done that," I added trying to be sarcastic.

He plonked himself down in one of my luxury armchairs.

"You're the most annoying, stupid, fucking idiot I've ever come across. Do you have any idea what you've done, Cullen?"

"I'm sure you're going to enlighten me."

"I've just seen Bella and she looks like shit. I mean sure she's beautiful, but today her eyes are dead, man, she's all-work-and-no-play Bella again. You did that, you stupid fuck."

"Don't mince your words now will you. Let me know how I really make you feel."

"Do you actually want me to hit you?"

"Could I stop you if that were your intention?"

"One fucking date and you rip her heart out. You made her feel cheap, Edward, wanting to hide. She loves you, man, and you wanted her to act like some cheap adulterous tart, skulking around behind everyone's backs. Do you know she cried on the phone with me for over an hour last night? Do you even know how bad that made me want to come over and kick your arse? She wouldn't let me, of course. You don't deserve her."

"And you do?"

"If she were interested, I sure wouldn't ask her to be with me on the quiet. I respect and like her too much for that. She deserves better than that."

"I like and respect her, too, Seth, I more than like her. When she told me last night that she couldn't hide the fact that she was falling for me, I very nearly jumped over the table and told her I was more than already halfway there. But I was the one that insisted on that policy being included in everyone's contract, how will it look if I'm the one to break it?"

"Is that all you're bothered about? Your fucking pride? I thought you were one of the good guys, Edward, but you've ruined that girl. Fuck, she was already a shy, quiet girl with men outside the work environment, but then she blossomed with her feelings for you and the confidence that gave her. You just pulled the fucking rug out from under her. Well done, Cullen, well fucking done."

"Look, Seth, I feel just as bad as Bella does; remember, she dumped me. I'm hurting here, too, you know. I've had fucking Emmett in here rambling on about how I look like I lost my puppy. What am I supposed to do? She made it quite clear she doesn't want to talk to me. I'm not going to pressure her or upset her even more."

"What puppy? I didn't know you had a puppy?"

"Shut the fuck up, Seth. Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'd like to get on right now. I have a lot to do before Bella goes to Paris."

"Do you want her to go? To Paris that is."

"No, of course not, I told her I'd go back."

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Why could you not say something like, 'I don't want you to go, I want you stay here with me?'"

"She'd already said she didn't want to be around me. What was I supposed to do?"

"Why do you think she said that?"

"Because it's too hard to be around each other right now. I get that because it's the same for me, too. I can't be around her and not be with her. Do you know what I mean?"

"So if you feel like that, how can you not understand how she feels about hiding your relationship?"

"It's hardly the same now is it?"

"Why is it different? You just said you can't be around her and not be with her. That's what she was talking about, the touching, the kissing, holding hands. Think about it, Edward, it's the same."

He left me thinking about his words, slamming my door once again. And when I get home later that night, I saw that Bella had put an entry in my diary for our hand-over meeting the next day at two o'clock. An email from Jasper told me her flight left the next day at four o'clock. My heart faltered at the thought of her not being around. I wondered how I would deal with that, knowing in such a short space of time, I had come to rely on her, I liked having her around. She made me less of a grumpy bastard.

The next day, I knew I was like a bear with a sore head. Poor Jessica got the brunt and I knew I would need to apologise later. Right now, though, I was too pent up to be big enough to do that. Jasper was in and out all morning, documents to sign, hotels to book. Why he had to involve me, I didn't know.

The courtesy call I made to Nathalie lasted much longer than I would have liked. I explained all about Bella, singing her praises. I reassured Nathalie that Bella was more than up to this case.

At two o'clock on the dot, she knocked on my door. When she came in, my heart sank; she looked all business, dressed like a typical lawyer in a navy pin-striped pantsuit matched with a white shirt, fully buttoned up. There was no sign of the sexy Bella, or the Bella that sang Katy Perry songs, the Bella I wanted to make love with. She was all about business and I was being warned.

"Are you ready for me Edward?" she asked then blushed, realising her words could have been misconstrued.

"Please, come in, Bella, take a seat."

I pushed the duplicate folder towards her and allowed her time to read through all its contents. When I saw her eyes raise, I asked, "So, any questions?"

"No, I think this is rather comprehensive. Thank you. I'll email you if I come across anything while I'm there that's not covered in here."

"So, how long does Jasper anticipate you staying?"

"Three months initially."

"Three months?" I yelled much louder than I meant to.

"Yes, but I suppose we'll see how things go. I've sub-let my apartment for the full three months, and if I come back early, I can always stay with my friends, Alice and Rosalie."

Three months, did she say three months? Fuck, what was I going to do for three months? What if she forgot about me? I mentally slapped myself. That was the whole reason she was going. My mind raced as panic set in.

"Three months, wow. Make sure you get plenty of sightseeing in, it's a wonderful city."

"I'll try, thank you. Look, I'd better go; lots to do and all that."

We were both really awkward now. Did we shake hands? I knew I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her like my life depended on it, let her know I loved her, too. Edging round my desk, she looked nervous, most likely wondering what I was going to do.

She turned and walked quickly to the door. I followed behind her close enough to touch her if I dared just reach out.

"Bella," I said in an almost strangled way.

As she turned, I could see the tears and they made my mind up for me. I pulled her into my arms. I didn't care if she hated me. Right now, I needed to feel her one last time. I needed to breathe her in, it needed to last me a long time. She let out a loud sob as her head rested on my shoulder.

"Hey, I'm going to miss you so much. You're going to a beautiful city and you're going to blow Nathalie and her team away with what you can do for them. Just remember where home is, Bella. Just remember that there are people here that love you."

Her soft lips kissed me for the briefest of seconds on my shocked lips. My eyes were closed and I never saw it coming. I didn't have time to react. As she swept out of my office, I heard her quiet words.

"I love you, Edward, I'll always love you."

It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to say in return, "I love you, too."

She stopped dead and my heart stopped with her. Did I really just say that out loud?

**Cliffie...**


	16. Chapter 16

**The Firm**

**I continue to be blown away by your response. Thank you!**

**Dollybigmomma makes sense of my drivel. Thank you, Dolly.**

**SM owns.**

**Chapter 15**

**BELLA**

I stopped dead in my tracks. Had he just said the words I thought he had, or was my addled brain just making me hear the things I wanted to hear?

Did I dare turn around and see if he was still stood motionless in his open doorway? No, I was too much of a coward in that respect; if he was gone, I would surely crumble and I could not risk that, not here.

Without looking back, I continued into my office and closed and locked the door behind me before falling back against it. I slid down slowly, silent sobs racking through me. Did I hear him right? Did he really say he loved me, too? If he did, why wasn't he fighting for me? Why wasn't he stopping me from leaving him now? Why did he refuse to acknowledge our love just last night?

Slumped on the floor, I listened for him to leave. He did with just the slightest hint of a pause outside my door. When he had gone and I knew I was alone, I let the sobs really come. I rocked back and forth, lamenting a love that could never be.

I really needed to get home. I had so much to do and so little time to do it. Thankfully, I wasn't much on material things so I didn't have a lot to sort for storage. I finished packing up the rest of my things from around my office. By the time I was done, it would look like I had never existed here. Jasper had allowed me the morning off which I would need it to finalise by bags. Packing for an extended stay was vastly different from packing for an annual two weeks in the sun.

Jasper had left me with an itinerary for the first week. I was booked into a hotel for the first six days; it was the same hotel Edward had stayed in. Then I would move into my very own apartment housed on the Rue de Seine, a quiet street I was led to believe, my building overlooking the river. The pictures of the apartment showed that I would be living in the lap of luxury during my stay. The top floor apartment had a roof terrace and a veranda off the master suite. It had two other smaller bedrooms which meant Alice and Rose could come to visit whenever they liked. They were sure to love the shabby chic style of the trendy Parisian place.

After spending a couple of hours packing and sorting a separate box to go to the charity shop, I collapsed into bed. Sleep overtook me and I was out like a light.

It was not quite light when I woke feeling groggy, but I managed to drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The lukewarm shower did little to make me feel human, but it would have to do. I spent the next three hours sorting stuff. Stuff I would have liked to take with me but couldn't, stuff I wanted to leave here, but needed to take with me. Memories of Edward were everywhere; in the folder I packed into my hand luggage, his bold script annotated the folder where he had felt appropriate. I found myself caressing it more than once before I packed it away.

My phone pinged and I picked it up to see that there were already three messages waiting. Huh, I never even heard it go off before. The most recent message was from Alice, telling me she would miss me and would see me soon. I knew she was looking forward to a shopping trip in Paris. The next was from Rosalie, hers was more sedate, saying she would miss me and was angry I was going. She thought I was running away and she might have been right. The first message received a little after eight o'clock was from Edward.

**Jasper says you're not coming in today.**

**So I guess this is goodbye, at least for now.**

**I'll miss you, Bella, no matter what you might think.**

**Enjoy Paris! You know where I am if you want to talk or ask me anything.**

**And yes, you did hear me correctly as you left my office last night.**

**Edward.**

I was on my knees sobbing, the bastard, he had done this on purpose. He had been still stood there when I stopped, now I would be wondering what if...

A loud knock on my door announced my ride to the airport, Seth. He had insisted and I didn't have the heart to refuse him. I knew he would miss me and I would really miss him, too; he was a breath of fresh air that I really could do with right now. Pulling myself together, I opened the door and invited him in. One look at my eyes and he knew.

"Oh, Bella, what did he do now?" he asked pulling me into him for a hug.

Between sobs and gurgles, I managed to tell him.

"He told me that he loves me, too, but now I'm going to Paris and I won't see him for ages. Oh, Seth, what a mess this is." He let me cry until I was all cried out.

Our journey to the airport was quiet, neither of us knowing what to say. There was nothing either of us could say, at least for now. Seth waited with me in the first-class departure lounge until my flight was called. We held each other tightly and he promised to come and see me soon.

"Bye, Seth, please look after him for me," I told him before I walked away to join the line to board.

Jasper had booked a seat for me in first class; the long journey from Seattle to Paris meant I would be on board overnight. My seat converted into a bed and swivelled, giving me complete privacy. The first-class cabin was not full, just the odd business passenger and me. Before we were directed to turn off our phones, I took mine out and sent Edward a quick text.

**I'll miss you, too.**

**I'll send you regular updates and give Nathalie your love. :) Lol**

**Bella **

The air steward asked for all mobile phones and electronic devices to be turned off. I pressed the off button and slipped my phone into my handbag.

As we taxied up the runway, a tear rolled down my cheek and I was powerless to stop it. I cried silent tears for the next few hours. The stewardess kept her distance, I think realising I needed to be left alone. After a light snack, I converted my seat and settled down for the night. When I woke up, we would be nearly there or at least over Europe somewhere.

My dreams were of a tall athletic man with hair the colour of a new penny and a killer smile. He was always there, but never near enough for me to touch. I spent most of the time chasing him and calling out his name, but he did not hear me. He never heard me and I never caught him.

"Excuse me, Ma'am; we're about ready to start our descent. Could you please convert your seat back into the upright position?" a young male steward asked, looking a little shy and embarrassed for waking me up.

I did as I was asked quickly and quietly. Thirty minutes later, we were bouncing on the runway at Charles De Gaule International Airport in France. The local time was ten o'clock in the morning, the weather was grey but dry, and the temperature was sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. A sign read "Welcome to Paris."

I took a deep breath and told myself I could do this.

**EDWARD**

I waited for her to turn around, but she didn't. I waited and waited, it was like she was tormenting me, torturing me, actually. When she started moving forward into her office, I about collapsed onto the floor. I managed to hold on just long enough for her door to close before I closed mine as well and sank to my knees, silent sobs racking my body.

After composing myself, I cleared up and headed on out. She was still shut up in her office. I paused as I passed her door, but only momentarily. She did not want me now and I couldn't blame her. At home, I drowned my sorrows with a couple of tumblers full of Southern Comfort. I had developed a taste for the fine delicate liqueur and only added a couple of lumps of ice; I found it helped me sleep, especially if I had enough.

The next morning, I was nursing my head when Emmett walked in as bold as brass.

"Morning, sugar," he bellowed. He must have known my predicament because I would have sworn he was shouting and grinning like the fucker he was.

"Fuck off, Emmett, and I mean it, today of all days, just leave me alone."

"Aw, someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning didn't they?" I chose to ignore him.

He eventually took the hint and left, slamming my door closed behind him. Today my blinds were open, I was watching for her. She would only be here for a couple of hours at the most and I needed to see her just one last time. She was a no-show, though, so I went in search of information. Jessica did not let me down.

"Jasper gave her the morning off. She has so much to do. You know what it's like," she told me. I texted Bella when I was back in the privacy of my office. I said probably more than I should have, but I couldn't help it. I needed her to know, I needed to know if it would make a difference.

I waited for a response, but I got nothing. I knew Seth was driving her to Tacoma. Jessica slipped that little snippet of information in, too. Just what I wanted to hear this morning, when I felt like crap and was about to lose the only woman I had ever loved, probably for good. My mood, which was already pretty bad, soured further as the day dragged on. I got absolutely no work done. I might as well have gone home. I didn't, though. I took myself into her office where it still smelled of her and I settled down on her futon, once a part of our all-too-brief love affair. I closed my eyes and pretended she was here, her hand in mine and everything was good. We were both calm, at peace, and in love.

When my phone buzzed in my pocket shortly before four o'clock, I wondered who it would be. Bella's words brought tears to my eyes. I was calm now, just sad. I made my way home. I needed to get back on with my life, at least for now. I could move on, carry on knowing that she loved me. I loved her and she knew that, too. Now we could both get on.

Things at the office returned to some semblance of normality, at least for me. I could work and achieve all I set out to. I was back to the usual pre-Bella grumpy bastard Edward, or so I was told. My eyes and ears were everywhere, looking and listening for any signs that Jessica and Newton were breaking my no-fraternization policy. So far, nothing; well, nothing that could not be argued as innocent. I would be on the lookout; I needed to make sure that the policy remained in place. If I had ruined what I had with Bella over the damn thing, I was definitely going to make sure no other fucker broke it, either.

I declined several nights out with Jazz and Emmett, knowing that Seth would be there, and while I was doing okay, I was not ready to face him just yet.

An email a couple of days later surprised me. It was from Nathalie Oberlauge.

**To: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**

**From: NathalieVOberlaugeatNathalie 's**

**Edward,**

**How can I ever thank you enough for sending your Bella to me? She is a godsend. I may never let her return to you.**

**We are making good progress in our search for your mole and I am pleased to report that the leaks appear to have stopped, at least for now. I think all the suspects are too taken with your Bella to think about ruining me and my company anymore. She really is a delight, but sometimes she is so sad. Is that something to do with you, Mon Cherie? I have to wonder because the mention of your name is the only time the light in her eyes sparkles.**

**By the way, it was her idea I email you, she thought it would make you smile.**

**Bon Nuit, Cherie**

**Nathalie **

I could not help but smile, albeit sadly, at her words. I wondered if she even realised just how close to the truth she was.

Jessica announced Seth about a week after Bella's departure. I told her to send him in.

"Edward," he nodded as he came in and closed the door.

"Seth, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Are you avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you how exactly?" I knew exactly to what he was referring.

"Well, twice now I've been out with Jasper and Emmett and you've been a no-show. What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing is 'going on' as you put it. I simply didn't want to go out on the nights they asked."

"Pull the other one. That leg is feeling neglected."

"Seth, I'm too busy right now to spend time arguing with you over something that's really not that important."

"I thought we were friends, at least until Bella."

"What does Bella have to do with this? She isn't even here anymore," I asked him.

"Have you even tried to call her since she left? She said you haven't."

"Why ask then if you already know? And I take it you're in contact with her?"

"Off course I am, she's my friend and she's living in a strange city full of people she doesn't know. I email her every day and we talk on the phone on the weekends. You should try it sometime. Oh, but not this weekend because Alice and Rose are visiting."

"Well, next time you talk to her, say hello from me," I said sounding rather petulant.

"Are you kidding me? Fucking hell, Edward, I really thought after you'd admitted to her that you loved her and she told you she felt the same that you'd finally grow a set of balls and do the right thing." So she had told him about that, huh?

"And what, in your humble opinion, is the right thing?"

"Go bring her back, what else?"

"You think I should go to Paris, sweep her off her feet like a knight in shining armour, and bring her home?"

"I did, but not now. It's too late. She's making friends and enjoying what she's doing. That French woman who has the hots for you loves Bella and has asked her to stay on; work for her full-time, I think Bella is actually considering it," he went on.

Fucking Nathalie, interfering even when I was not there. Well, she could fuck off, too. She was not keeping Bella. Over my dead body would I allow that to happen. Once the case was solved and taken to court, Bella would be coming back home, to me, or at least to the firm.

"Was there anything else, Seth? If not, I really do need to get on," I told him honestly.

He left and once again I slumped in my chair. I wondered if he was right and that she was really considering staying in Paris. He was definitely right about one thing, though. I had not been in touch with Bella since she had left and I would rectify that wrong right now.

**To: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**

**From: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**

**Bella,**

**I hope this email finds you well and enjoying your time so far in gay Paris. An email from Nathalie has me believing you are, but I thought I'd check for myself. Jasper and Emmett, as well as Jessica and Newton, all say hi, too.**

**So it's all gone quiet on the mole front. Anymore ideas?**

**So I'm guessing you haven't needed any questions answered because I haven't heard from you. I knew you were the right person for the job.**

**You know where I am, Bella.**

**Edward.**

I pressed send before I could change it or add anything. I knew it was cold and unfeeling, but what could I do? I was still hurt and I was trying to get on with my life. But I missed her, I missed her so much. I should have told her. I was pathetic.

At home that night, I played with my phone. My finger ached to press her number; my ears ached for the sound of her voice. My solid wooden head refused to allow me to press the dial button. It didn't stop me from sending her a text, though.

**Sorry about the email, Bella.**

**I just miss you, and I'm pathetic.**

Once again I pressed send before I could stop myself.

The reply was almost immediate. In fact, it was so quick that I thought it was mine being rejected. It wasn't.

**Thanks for waking me up, jerk.**

**I miss you, too.**

**And yes, you are!**

A huge smile crossed my face; she still had the power to make me smile. Even after my unfriendly email and the silence, she still missed me, there was hope after all. I slept well that night, the first time I had slept without a skin full of alcohol since she had left. Progress indeed.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Firm**

**We're off to gay Paris to look in on Bella.**

**Dollybigmomma rocks so show her some lurve.**

**Continued thanks and applause to you all.**

**Chapter 16**

**BELLA**

I was excited as I parked the hire car in the airport car park. I was here to meet my two best friends, Alice and Rosalie, who were coming to stay for five days.

It had only been just over a couple of weeks since I had left Seattle, but it felt like months. I missed everything about America; well, mostly my girls, and him, and of course Seth's personality, but I was really starting to like Paris. I wanted my girls to experience first-hand just what I meant when I talked to them.

Alice had been like a child on Christmas morning ever since I emailed her the tickets I had booked for them as a surprise. I never had a doubt that either of them would wangle the holiday time they needed for the short visit.

Now it was my turn to bounce off the walls. Nathalie, bless her heart, had agreed immediately to me taking three days off. God, I deserved it. Since landing in France, I had not stopped and Nathalie had enjoyed having the benefit of me being on call almost twenty-four-seven. She also had someone on hand who was totally dedicated to her work. I was a workaholic just like Nathalie and she knew it. I had been surprised when I first met her that I actually liked her. After her "pursuit" of him, I had being prepared to hate her on sight. I didn't, surprisingly, although sometimes I could have done with her being a little more diplomatic.

I literally skipped from my car to the arrivals area, my eyes scanning the arrivals board, looking for their flight details. It was on time and would be landing in about ten minutes. I gnawed my bottom lip in anticipation of seeing my two best friends again. I had missed them both terribly.

Nathalie had helped me to no end organising their trip, then she had started to talk about him and I saw exactly what he meant. Wow, she was vociferous in her passion for him, and she wasn't afraid to tell me what she wanted to do to him. At first, I had giggled like a school girl, assuming incorrectly that she was joking. Then her descriptions became more and more graphic and I had to swallow the nausea down as she told me how she wanted to lick and suck various parts of his anatomy. While I did manage to keep the nausea at bay, I was unable to keep my deep blush away. She caught on immediately. Damn it.

I recalled her words as she realised my problem.

"Ah, Bella, I can see he has this effect on you, too. He is quite '_magnifique'_ is he not, our Edward? He will be an unselfish lover, I can tell this by his expressive eyes. Believe me, Bella; one of us is going to be very, very lucky with this man's attention."

I made sure I kept my head down and mumbled, "I don't know what you mean, Nathalie."

Her loud cackle made me cringe. I was still finding it hard to come to terms with how different Nathalie was in a work environment to when she obsessed over Edward and his potential as the perfect lover.

I managed to pick out from the announcement that Alice and Rose's flight had landed. They would be coming through the door in about twenty minutes and I realised I could not wait. I was beyond giddy.

A small crowd was now gathered at the arrivals barriers, with people of all ages like me waiting to greet someone from a recently-arrived flight. Some held up name cards, others clearly family members awaiting their loved ones. A trickle of people started to filter through the doors; young and old, families and singletons. Then I heard them scream and the next moment I was gathered up into two sets of arms as both Alice and Rose hugged me tightly.

"Bellarina, you look fantastic, doesn't she, Rose?" Alice squealed loudly right in my ear.

Ushering them to the side, I took a moment to take them both in. Huh, and I thought I had been bouncing, but believe me, it was nothing compared to what Alice was doing. It took me all my time to get them into my car and they talked ten to the dozen as I drove. I listened to them with a wry smile on my face. It was lovely seeing them again and I could not wait to take them around and show them all the wonderful sights of Paris. Alice would die for sure. I would never get rid of her. It would be great.

Struggling with their bags up the stairs, I could not help but laugh. Even though we really struggled to get their cases up the narrow stairwell, it was fun. It was great so see them again that I didn't mind at all.

"Bella, this is incredible!" Alice gasped as she flitted from room to room inside the apartment. "I could move here for good, and the view, Bella, the view is...it's like something from a glossy magazine!" she squealed another one of her now-famous high-pitched squeals in excitement as Rose and I looked on, amused as ever by her innocent reactions.

After finally getting Alice to calm down, I showed them to their rooms and let them settle in while I made us all a coffee and rustled up a bite to eat.

Rose was the first one to emerge. "Is your room okay? Will you be comfortable while you're here?" I asked her.

"Bella, it's all cool, really. Stop worrying, we'll be fine. You know Alice; providing the wardrobe is as big as the actual bedroom, she'll be fine. She might even forgive you if it isn't, seeing as how you've brought her to Paris. Seriously, Bella, you do realise she'll not sleep the whole time she's here. We're going to have to sedate her to get her back on the plane next week." We both laughed, knowing her words were oh so true.

"I know," I nodded. "Alice, are you coming out of there or do I have to come in to get you?" I shouted wanting her to come out and join Rose and me for our coffees.

Alice emerged in a whirlwind as usual, talking ten to the dozen, darting in and out of all the rooms, squealing even louder when she found the veranda off my bedroom. I wondered silently how she would react when I took them up onto the roof terrace a little later.

We talked, well, Alice did, anyway. Poor Rose and I could hardly get a word in. Alice being Alice, she wanted to plan every minute of their stay. She had a list of designer shops she wanted to visit as well as numerous streets housing famous shops, or so she told us.

"What about sightseeing? Seeing the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the like," I asked genuinely wondering when we would fit it all in. Five days was not long. I knew they would be coming back again during my stay here, but five days was just not long enough.

"I'd like to see all the famous sights, Bella," Rose mentioned, but this was scratched by Alice in favour of what she wanted to do. Rose being the bigger person agreed while I shook my head once again. "Next time, Rose, I promise."

"So, Bella, any nice men work for Nathalie?" Rose asked with a brow wiggle.

"Men? Oh, I haven't really noticed. Um, I suppose there are a few, but I don't know if I'd call them nice. I mean they seem okay, but as you know, I'm not looking for any sort of relationship."

"Yeah, you never really told us what happened with Edward. When you rang and told us you were coming to Paris, we didn't expect it to be like the next day." I cringed without realising it at the mention of his name. It still hurt. It hurt so badly.

"I'm sorry about that, ladies. You know me; once I've made a decision, I like to get on with it and it was too hard to be around Ed...him. We had a bit of a...I don't know what you'd call it, really. He apparently told Seth Clearwater that he liked me and would like to explore something if I felt the same. Of course, you know I did, so we might've kissed and made out a bit in my office one Sunday."

Alice's screech this time stopped me in my tracks. In fact, she was so loud I was actually scared.

"You made out with him and then left him to come to Paris, Bella? Why would you do that?"

"If you hadn't interrupted me, I would've told you. Yes, we kissed and made out like teenagers, and we even went out on a date the next night after work. Edward wanted to talk, get things straight between us. We met for dinner, but it didn't go as I would've hoped and the night ended up a disaster.

"It seems Edward is hell-bent on abiding by his damned infamous no-fraternization policy. He wanted to keep seeing me, but on the quiet, hush-hush so to speak. He made it sound really quite tacky and sordid. I really, really like him, but I'm not going to publicly deny my feelings for him just because of some silly policy he insists on adhering to, and I refuse to be anyone's dirty little secret.

"Well, we couldn't agree to disagree so I called it quits. It was hard, it still is. I think I was falling for him big style. When he kissed me, it was like nothing I've ever imagined before and believe me; I'd certainly imagined kissing him plenty."

Both Rose and Alice laughed and Alice took my hand in hers. "How do you feel now? Have you heard from him?"

"I'm okay, I think. Before I left, we spoke and I might've told him that I loved him, then he went and spoiled the whole leaving thing by telling me that he loved me, too."

"I don't understand," Rose said sitting on the edge of her seat, "If you've fallen in love with each other, why are you here while he's still in Seattle? I'm confused, Bella. Surely his policy is null and void if you're in love and looking to be in an honest relationship?"

"No, apparently it's not. Edward was the partner who insisted on the stupid policy, he refuses to be the one to break it. He already thinks Jessica, their PA, and Mike Newton, the other associate, are carrying on. He's doing all he can to find out if it's true. He even asked me if I'd seen anything. Look, he's over there now and I'm here, at least for now, and while I still think about him constantly, at least I don't have to see his glorious face every day. It makes things a little easier. And I need to get on with my life, move on."

"I had no idea, Bella. Why did you keep this from us once again? I think Rose and I will start to get a complex if this continues," Alice added squeezing my hand in hers.

"Is there anything else we should know? Can we talk to him for you?"

"No, I don't need you to talk to Edward, we're okay for now. The only other thing I can think of to tell you is that Seth threw his hat into the ring. He wants me to consider him as boyfriend material once I'm over Edward. Trouble with that is I'm not getting over Edward any time soon. I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but if he was here right now and there was no policy, I'd be kissing him like my life depended on it."

"That good, eh, Bella?" Rose smirked.

"You have no idea, Rose, no idea at all." I smiled at the memory of his lips on mine, of his tongue exploring, probing sensually in my mouth, and his body pressed closely to mine, obviously aroused.

We caught up on everything we all had missed. They assured me they had no man meat to tell me about. We turned in early since the girls were tired from their long flights and the time difference. Tomorrow would be busy and I wanted the girls up and ready early.

Our first stop the next day was the _Rue Du Faubourg Saint-Honore,_ the pulse of Paris' designer shopping district. We wandered in and out of Versace, Yves St. Laurent, and Hermes to name but a few. Alice's face was a picture as she delicately touched items on display. I had never known her to be so quiet, she was in such awe. Hour after hour, Rose and I followed her like obedient puppies, but eventually I insisted we stop and rest our feet if nothing else.

We made our way the short distance to the _Hotel Costes_, an up-market hotel that had a welcoming lounge bar and brasserie area. It was a little overpriced, but its exclusivity and large comfy sofas made up for the extra Euros. Besides, my feet needed to rest right now so its proximity was perfect.

The menu was extensive and we spent a good while deciding on what to have. Once our order was in, we sat back and relaxed with our coffees. Alice had yet another list of shops she wanted to visit. Rose and I simply rolled our eyes, knowing that trying to refuse her would be pointless.

Fed and watered, we set off on our travels once again. I did not want to be back too late because tonight, Nathalie was taking us out, showing us around what she called "her Paris."

I thought we might have been taking in a show at the famous _Moulin Rouge_ or the _Folie Bergere_. Knowing Nathalie, whichever was more shocking would be where we ended up.

A little after seven o'clock, my phone rang to let me know the taxi was waiting for us. Nathalie had it all planned. Once again, Alice was like a child, her eyes wide at the illuminated city before us. I was right; the _Folie Bergere_ was before us and Nathalie was stood proudly at the door awaiting our arrival.

"Bella, this is amazing," Rose giggled from my side.

"Don't thank me, thank Nathalie, this is all down to her."

As we approached, Nathalie, ever the over-the-top Parisian woman, greeted me loudly.

"Isabella, _Mon Cherie! Bonsoir_, Alice and Rosalie, welcome to Paris!"

"Nathalie, thank you for this, Bella has told us all about you. It's a pleasure to meet you," Alice said practically curtseying as if Nathalie were royalty.

Nathalie, being who she was, got us the best seats and ordered us champagne for during the show. This was not really my thing, but I sat back and enjoyed it as something different. At the end of the night, I was fit to drop, which disappointed Alice and Rose to no end. They wanted to find a nightclub and go dancing. Like that was going to happen.

The next few days and nights all followed the same pattern. On the fourth night of their visit, I flatly refused to go out. I had to work the next day for a short while and my feet were just about ready to pack up and leave me. I had walked more around the streets of Paris over the last three days than I had since I had arrived here three weeks earlier. After much cajoling, and with the threat of not being allowed to come back soon, Alice finally gave in and allowed me to order in. It was a nice night and eating up on the roof terrace overlooking the Seine was perfect. Alice was in love with the view as I knew she would be.

At the office the next day, my new colleagues all wanted to know where my American friends were. I had of course left Rose and Alice to their own devices today, well, for a few hours, anyway. They were going to come to the office mid-afternoon and take afternoon tea with Nathalie and me. I knew Rose was looking forward to meeting some, as she called them, "sexy-talking Parisian men." I wished her luck with that.

I had loved having Alice and Rose here, but I was absolutely exhausted. I had forgotten how full-on they could both be. That was the reason why I had moved out. I remembered now. They actually made me feel really old.

An email flashed up from Cullen, Hale, and McCarty. Edward's name drew my eyes in.

**From: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**

**To: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**

**Bella,**

**I hope you're enjoying have your friends visit. Seth told me you were having visitors and not to bother you.**

**If you're able, I would like an update on the current state of play at Nathalie's. No hurry, just before next Monday's meeting if at all possible. I'm unsure if you're working when your guests are there. Let me know.**

**Edward**

Huh, so we were back to being all professional, were we? I read and re-read the message, trying to determine if I was just being picky. I was not going to be able to do a summary for Edward today, though. Maybe tomorrow after the girls had gone I would be able to sit down and reconcile all my recent findings and send Edward a summary.

The girls arrived in a flurry of giggles and men seemed to come out of the woodwork. Men I had never set eyes on before suddenly appeared, all wanting to shake hands or even better, welcome my friends with a traditional French-style cheek kiss. I wondered why I had never gotten this sort of welcome when I had first arrived. Not that I would have welcomed it.

When I mentioned it to Nathalie a little later, she laughed, telling me that I was not welcomed in the same way as I was seen in a different way. I was, after all, replacing the stern, unfriendly Monsieur Cullen, so they were all cautious of me. Nathalie assured me they meant nothing by it and were thrown by my so far no-nonsense approach. Nathalie told me her head of finance, Monsieur Gerald Buffon, was quite literally scared to death of my youth and direct manner.

Afternoon tea was a great success. Alice and Rose left with me and we headed back to the apartment. They were leaving early the next morning. I would be sad to see them go. For our last night together, I agreed to a real night out on the tiles, Parisian-style.

Dressed to kill, we set off, but we had no real idea where to go. Nathalie had been no help as she wanted us to do things I knew Alice and Rose would hate. Maybe it was the fact that she came from a different generation, or maybe it was the fact that money was no object to her.

We managed to find a couple of bars within walking distance from my apartment. Unlike the places we frequented back home; these were full of tourists, tasteful and expensive. Rose grumbled to no end how she would never be able to get drunk at this rate. It did not stop her from trying, though.

Some five hours and several bars later, we staggered, and I did mean staggered, back towards what I now called home. We sure were feeling the effects of one or two too many glasses of champagne. I would definitely not be looking forward to receiving my Visa bill next month. Someone needed to remind me again why I insisted the drinks tonight were on me.

With both Alice and Rose tucked up in bed, I booted up my laptop and sat down with a large mug of strong black coffee. Since coming here, I had not had a latte, my usual coffee of choice. It might have had something to do with the fact that lattes reminded me of Edward and the times we had shared over a coffee in my office. I did not want to have any more reminders of what might have been.

I needed to send him a reply, letting him know I would send him a summary the next day. After reading his email, I pondered on Seth telling him not to bother me.

**From: IsabellaMSwanatCullenHale&McCarty**

**To: EdwardAMCullenatCullenHale&McCarty**

**Edward,**

**I will get the information you've requested to you as soon as I can. I'm in and out of the office while Alice and Rose are in town. I hope this is satisfactory.**

**Bella**

I re-read it before sending it off. I hoped it was a little less friendly than his to me was. It seemed even all these thousands of miles apart, we could barely be anything more than civil. I wondered if that would change with time.

My alarm went off all too soon, bloody thing. Bleary-eyed, I made my way to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. Rose joined me moments later.

"What the fuck did we drink last night? It's been a long time since I've felt like this," she groaned holding her head.

"That's champagne for you," I told her and handed her two tablets and a glass of water.

"I always thought expensive champagne didn't give you a hangover. Guess I was wrong."

Ten minutes later, Alice strolled in looking none the worse for wear. She laughed at Rose's green hue and her holding her head in her hands. I, too, baulked at her usual loud in-your-face manner, then she laughed loudly once again and raised her eyebrow and asked, "You, too, Bella? God, you're both such lightweights."

We were all emotional at the airport. I had parked up and would wait with them until they needed to board. I did not want to lose a minute of our time together. Both Alice and Rose were quiet now.

"You'll come back won't you?" I asked in between sobs.

"Try keeping us away," Rose told me wiping her tears away.

"We'll miss you, Bella, really, really miss you," Alice cried as they walked slowly towards their departure gate.

When I could no longer see them, I headed back to my car, wiping away the tears that were streaming as I walked. My phone pinged with a message.

**Bella**

**If you love him, really love him, fight for him.**

**You make him sound worth it.**

**Shall I send Alice round to make him see sense?**

**Love you**

**R x**

I about choked on a fresh round of sobs when I read her words. Trust Rose to be the one to pick up that I was not really okay and that I did truly love him. Was she right, but should I fight for him, for us? I certainly couldn't do it from here, though. As I drove back to the city, I thought over our last words, the "I love you's" and the tears.

What the hell was I going to do?

**So, she might be in Paris, but me thinks her heart is still in Seattle. Don't worry, though, Bella is nothing if not the ultimate professional. She will not be running back home anytime soon.**


	18. Chapter 18

**The Firm**

**I hope the weekly updates are enough for you. I'm all caught up now and trying to write as much as I possibly can. I refuse, though, to allow the quality of the chapters to fall. I hope you all understand.**

**Thank you for staying with me, thank you for all the kind words and wonderful reviews. I love reading them and often find myself giggling at some of your comments. You humble me! **

**Thanks as usual go to my wonderfully talented beta, Dollybigmomma. Dolly, please take a bow.**

**SM owns it all.**

**Chapter 17**

**EDWARD**

It was hard to believe she had been gone a month already. A whole month since I had last seen her lovely face, breathed in her delicious scent, kissed her inviting lips. A month that I stupidly thought I could move on, knowing she loved me, knowing that she knew I loved her, too. Yeah right, now I knew what that thought did for me. Sleepless nights, endless sleepless nights, foul moods, and an all-work-and-no-play existence. I flatly refused to socialise with Emmett and Jasper. Seth had taken to sending me one-word texts. The last few consisted of the bolded words, **Dick, Assward, Tool, Pathetic**, and my personal favourite**, Fucktard.** I could not say I truly disagreed with any of them.

Emails between Bella and I remained polite and all work-related. Jessica dropped the odd snippet of gossip about what Bella had been up to or was going to be up to. Her friends' visit seemed to have gone well and as per usual, Bella got the job done, too. My selfish request for a summary update arrived in plenty of time for the Monday meeting. I almost wished it hadn't as it was all work-related, and I mean all. Not one pleasantry, no "Hi, how are you?" No "Take care" or "Love, Bella" at the end. Did it mean she was over me, over us? I spent hours wondering and that only made my moods even sourer. I actually pitied my friends and employees being around me.

Today was Friday, week five without her. Emmett had asked me for a short meeting in his office. I already knew Jazz was going to be there, too. A quick glance at my watch told me it was time to head up to see what it was he wanted now. His door was open and Jasper was already seated in one of the leather armchairs opposite Emmett's desk. Emmett, like me, did not have a sofa. Jasper, like Bella, did. Bella...just thinking about her and her sofa made me feel so much calmer. I wanted to smile, but I knew I had better not; my friends would pick up on it straight away. Especially Emmett, I would swear he had this sort of sixth sense.

"So what's up?" I asked sitting down in the empty chair next to Jasper.

Emmett walked over to the door and closed it quietly. Hmm, it was something serious by the look of it. I was intrigued now and sat up a little straighter

"Thanks for coming. I know how busy we all are being a man down, so to speak, and with Newton still not pulling his weight," Emmett said sounding much more serious than I had ever heard him, and I mean ever. "I've received a request; well, I received it a few days ago and I wanted to get your opinions before I replied. I also wanted to mull it over a bit myself, too. Well, now I have, and I've reached my decision and I'd like your input, have your thoughts."

"What is this about, Em?" Jasper asked.

"Well, I've received a request from Nathalie Oberlauge…"

That was all I heard, my stomach dropped to my feet and my head started to spin, my mouth opened before I could even think about how I would sound, or look.

"No, not a fucking chance, no way, over my dead body will I allow it!" I all but screamed. They stared at me, mouths agape.

"Edward, you have no idea what she asked," Emmett addresses me.

"Oh, I'll bet I can fucking guess and my answer is still not a fucking chance. She wants to keep Bella, right? Take her on permanently at Nathalie's and keep her in Paris."

"How did you know? But yes, that's the gist of her request. She'd like to employ Bella on a permanent basis via a sub-contract with ourselves. It'd still give us an income from Paris, but we'd lose Bella as an associate here in Seattle."

Fuming now, I shot back, "She sent me an email hinting at the same thing about a week after Bella arrived. I thought it was just her way of saying things were going well, that they got on. I never dreamed she'd be serious, and anyway, Bella wouldn't want to stay there. Her friends are here, she loves this job."

"Edward, Nathalie thinks Bella will jump at the chance. Apparently, she's made new friends there and is getting on well, she likes the apartment, and Nathalie is happy for her to stay there on a more permanent basis. I think we should consider what Bella wants. We should ask her." I heard his words, but what he was saying did not really register. Bella wouldn't want to stay in Paris…would she?

"Jasper, what do you think?" Emmett turned his attention to our other partner now as I sat and seethed quietly.

"Have you spoken to Bella?" he asked Emmett.

"No, I thought I'd run it past you guys first."

"So we don't even know if she's interested. As Edward says, if her friends are here, why would she agree to stay over there permanently? Unless, of course, she's met someone to stay for…"

"What?" I yelled causing both Emmett and Jasper to startle in their respective seats. "Why the hell would she have met someone? Bella doesn't seem like the type of woman to jump into a relationship. She didn't here so why would she over there?" I was desperately looking for reasons to say no, I needed her back here.

"Calm the fuck down, mate. Jesus, anyone would think you were jealous...Oh shit, is that it, Edward? Are you jealous that Bella may have met another man? Is there something going here we should know about?" Emmett's eyebrows rose, realizing he was on to something as I sat and squirmed in the chair under his appraisal. "Have you being banging our Bella, Edward? Is that why you've been such a moody fuck for the past month, because Bella's away in Paris?" Emmett asked looking straight at me, trying to get a read on both my body language and my words.

I cringed at his crude words. My brain was usually one step ahead, but quick as a flash, it let me down as I stuttered and stumbled to answer him. Now both Jasper and Emmett were staring at me hard.

"Come on, Edward, is this what's been up with you? Are you pining over the lovely Miss Swan?"

I pondered for a moment what their reactions would be if I told them the truth. My whole body recoiled at the thought of opening up to them about something so special. If they even thought about teasing me or making smutty comments, I would explode. I was frustrated and missed her like hell, and I just couldn't hide it anymore. So with a resigned sigh, I decided to spill my guts, hoping it would ease my pain and let them understand why I didn't want her to stay in Paris forever.

"Look, if either of you breathe a word of this outside this office or make one crude comment or joke about what I'm about to say, I'll kill you both and bury your bodies somewhere you'll never be found again. Understood?"

They both nodded silently, but managed to keep their thoughts to themselves.

"Okay, well, you just need to know that NO, I have not been 'banging' Bella as you so delicately put it, Emmett. When she first started here, she was the total opposite of what I expected. Being a workaholic, I'd expected a frumpy, stout girl with thick glasses and no personality. The reality that is Isabella Swan hit me square in the gut and from our very first meeting when we shook hands, sparks flew."

The words came easily now as I opened up to my two best friends about how Bella and I had danced around each other before Seth finally stepped in and told us both to grow up and talk to each other. Jasper smirked a bit when I told him about that Sunday in our offices. I think they believed me when I told them we did nothing more than kiss and make out a bit.

"Edward, I need to tell you something," Jasper said and all of a sudden I was worried.

"Go on."

"When I offered Bella the job, I asked her out. She turned me down flat. I agree that she isn't the sort of girl to go into something lightly. And if she feels anything like you do, then I think the chances of her meeting someone else in Paris are minimal. So I'm curious, though. Why, after finally getting together on that Sunday, did all hell break loose by Tuesday with her asking to go Paris?"

Fucking Jasper, I should have known the fucker would have tried something like that. He always had an eye for a pretty girl.

"Yeah, well," I raked my hands through my already-messy hair, "That would be my fault. We went out to dinner on that Monday since we needed to talk, sort things out. My famous fucking no-fraternization policy was hanging over our heads. You know how paranoid I am about work being interfered with. Well, she didn't take that too well."

"But she knew about the policy, why would she react so severely?"

"Well, I said some stuff about wanting to keep our relationship quiet, see if it was what it seemed before I allowed myself to be the one to break my own rule."

"No wonder she ran for the hills. How romantic, Edward. 'I like you, kiss, kiss, and I can't keep my hands off you, but let's do it in secret.' No wonder she's pissed. I would've been pissed, too. You made her feel cheap."

"I know, but what can I do? I mean it's my policy, how did I know my soul mate was going to walk through the doors of Cullen, Hale, and McCarty?"

"Soul mate?" Jasper asked his eyebrows cocked.

Looking down and shaking my head, I figured I might as well go for it. I mean I had pretty much told them everything, what difference did the last bit make?

"Yeah, she's my soul mate. I love her, guys; she's all I think about, morning, noon, and night. I can't even sleep unless I'm full of Southern Comfort. I know my moods have been foul, too, but I can't help it. Oh, and just to let you know, Seth knows all about it. He was instrumental in our admitting our feelings, and he also how knows how it was all gone tits up. He's also asked Bella to consider him as an alternative."

"Clearwater? The fucker!" Emmett jumped up from his desk. "Why would he do that knowing how you feel about her?"

"Emmett, relax, he's actually been pretty good. He talked to us both. Told me our feelings were written all over our faces. He likes her, wanted to let her know she had options. She isn't interested, or at least she wasn't. She loves me, too."

"Then why are you still here?" Jasper asked quietly. "Why aren't you in Paris trying to convince her to come home? You need to bring her home, Edward, for both your sakes. Look, if it really is the policy you're worried about, we can rehash it. Make a new one. As long as you both remain professional and business isn't affected, it could work. Do you think you can refrain from overt PDA whilst at work?"

"No, not really. We could try and keep it to behind closed doors, before and after work, and at lunchtime; that might work. But I seriously doubt it," I smiled widely at the memories of our previous kisses. Was I actually considering this as a possibility?

"Is it the policy you're afraid of, Edward? If it is, we can sort that, no problem. Or are you afraid of how you feel, too?" Jasper asked sounding sincere.

"Of course I'm afraid. It scared me to fucking death before I admitted it. Shit, I was all over the place. Still am. I've never felt like this before and it fucking terrifies me, but when she's in my arms or we're just touching, holding hands, all the panic and worry just floats away. She calms me, guys. Shit, I sound like a right pussy."

"It sounds to me like you're definitely in love. Now what are we going to do about it?" Jasper asked me.

Emmett stood up again with a worried look on his face. "You need to know something else; something that could potentially be a serious spanner in the works."

Now I was really worried. "Go on, don't keep me waiting, I'm already dying here."

"Seth is going to Paris tomorrow for a week. He's staying with Bella."

My heart sank as I slumped further down in the luxury leather chair. Two sets of eyes bore into me, worried how I was going to react to this latest news.

**BELLA**

The work in Paris was going well. It was hard to believe I had been here for over a month now. Where did the time go? When Alice and Rose went home, I buried myself in my work, fully investigating all of Nathalie's employees. I knew that Edward...I sighed...yeah, he still had that effect on me. He had done a series of interviews with the staff and made a dossier of his thoughts and findings. I found it a really useful tool in my delving even further into Nathalie's employee's backgrounds. Now I had my own list of potential suspects. I was heartened to note that Edward and I had come to the same conclusions about one or two of them. The ones topping our lists were brothers, Aro and Caius Volturi. In my interviews with them both, they gave me a serious case of the creeps and I tried never to be alone when either of them was around.

Nathalie and I had grown closer. She was actually a really nice woman. She was beautiful but lonely, widowed at an early age, and left dripping in Euros by her late husband. She was bored and went about making friends in all the wrong ways. She thought money would buy her love and friendship. I had tried to convince her otherwise. Nights out with Nathalie were a challenge, at least for me. She craved attention, usually from much younger men, all clearly only after one thing, her money. She showered them with champagne and attention and then wondered at the end of the night why they left, not wanting more. I usually sat there like a protective companion, saying little but making sure Nathalie did not get hurt or taken for too much money.

The men she attracted often asked me for my number, thinking I, too, had money, and of course I was a little nearer their ages. They made me sick, I would never, and I mean never, stoop to picking men up in clubs. Even before Edward, I was not the sort of girl to meet men in bars and clubs. Alice and Rose used to laugh at what they called my "don't even think about it" look that was like neon sign flashing over my head. I smiled a little at the thought of the beautiful, almost auburn-haired man I had left in Seattle. I missed him, I missed his panty-dropping smile and how I felt when his thumb caressed my palm. I missed his lips on mine. Hell, I just missed him.

Lately, Nathalie had been dropping really big hints about me staying on permanently. I was flattered, of course, and a stint in Paris on a more permanent basis I was sure would be most girls' dream. Me, however, I was not so sure. Even before Edward and my feelings for him flourished, would I have wanted to be so far away from Alice and Rose? No, I think not. Three months sounded about right, and now a month in, I knew my feelings for Edward Cullen were not going to go away. They hadn't lessened one iota. He still filled my dreams every night, his deep green eyes and killer smile never far away from the forefront of my mind.

The pain had lessened a bit, though, and now it was more bearable, I think because I had accepted it was real and not going away. I could at least function without the tears. Nathalie, I think, suspected something. She quizzed me often on Edward and my thoughts on what she called her "handsome American." I would have liked to believe that one day soon I might be able to open up to her, tell her the truth. Not yet, though, it was too soon and still a little too raw. I wanted to keep what little I had of Edward Cullen to myself, at least for now.

I had received a request from Jasper to attend the next Monday meeting via video conference just like Edward had done when he had been here. Nathalie was only too happy to set up a room for me. How the hell I would get through it beat me, but I wanted to see him, I wanted to look at him, store the sight of him for future use. I knew it would hurt like hell, but I was sure it would be worth it.

Seth and I had continued to talk regularly via email and phone calls. His email at the end of every day never failed to make me smile. His whacky sense of humour had me shaking my head in disbelief at his antics. He mentioned Edward often, I was sure he was fishing to see how I would react. I didn't, I never even mention Edward, not in our emails, anyway. Seth rang me on the weekend, when he asked me directly how I was. I answered him truthfully. When he asked about Edward, I once again told him the truth, he deserved that.

Last weekend when he asked if I was still in love with Edward, I think he called him Cullen. I sighed before replying truthfully. "Seth, my feelings for Edward aren't going away anytime soon. I love him, I think about him every day." So when he asked his next question, I was a little taken aback.

"So how would you feel about me coming to stay for a week?"

"Really? You'd be prepared to come visit me here in Paris, knowing that we can only ever be friends?"

"I would, and while it kills me to admit defeat in my hoping to convince you to see me as a viable alternative to Cullen, I don't want to lose your friendship, Bella. So if I book my flight for Saturday and I email you the flight details, will you meet me at the airport?" he asked and I could hear the grin in his words.

"Of course I will. Oh, Seth, it'll be great to see you. I'll have to go to work every day, but I'll speak to Nathalie, get her to okay, say, four hours a day. Do you think you can manage without me for four hours each day?"

"Bella, if you make those four hours from eight o'clock till noon, I won't even notice you're gone. I like my beauty sleep and a week of sleeping in till noon sounds like my idea of bliss."

I laughed at his open honesty. "It'll be lovely to have you here, Seth, I mean it. You always make me smile. You'll be just what I need to take my mind off work."

"Your mind needs taking off work? Are you sure you don't mean your mind needs taking off Cullen?"

"No, my mind is quite happy thinking about Edward, but I do need to relax more and you're just the person to help me do that. So I'll see you at the weekend?" I asked hoping he wouldn't change his mind.

"You will, make sure you plan plenty of things for us to do, Swan, because I want you and me to paint the city of Paris red while I'm there. It's been a long time since I took a holiday and I mean to make the most of it."

I laughed as I hung up the phone. I realised that I was looking forward to his visit. Nathalie would positively die when she saw Mr. Sex-on-Legs Clearwater; she would think all of her Christmases had come at once. I mean a drop-dead gorgeous, six foot six inch tall Native American with a personality as tall as the man himself? I think Nathalie Oberlauge might just lose interest in one Edward Cullen when she gets a look at Seth Clearwater. I could only hope.

**So, Edward finally got some balls and admitted his feelings to his best friends. Will they help or hinder him going forward?**

**Some of you have asked for a chapter about Alice and Rose meeting Emmett and Jasper. Hmm, I've thought about it, but I'm as of yet undecided whether they'll meet as part of Edward and Bella's relationship or if I'll do it separately. Both ideas have their merits and Dolly and I have talked over a few possibilities. Let me ponder on it a while.**

**Seth in Paris, now that'll be fun. Nathalie is sure to make a pass at him, isn't she? I wonder how he'll react…**

**Your thoughts? **


	19. Chapter 19

**The Firm**

***** So I am posting this early because I have just received a notification that we are once again up for 'fic of the week' on the Lemonade Stand. It is a great honour. Thank you. So come on ladies/gents head on over there and vote, vote, vote.*****

**Thank you to my readers, reviewers, alerts and favourites folk. It blows me away.**

**Thanks to Dolly for making sense of my ramblings.**

**SM owns it all, the lucky, lucky girl.**

**Chapter 18**

**BELLA**

Seth's flight was due to arrive just after noon. It meant I had about four hours to shop for food. Yesterday I had had a light bulb moment when I suddenly remembered how much he ate. Shit, I would never be able to buy enough food to keep him going. I bought the essentials and a few extras, but thought it might be better to take him with me, let him choose what he wanted. I knew we wouldn't be eating in much, but still, snacks and things to keep him going were still far more than I would have ever even considered buying without his input.

I still hadn't gotten my head around French supermarkets. They certainly weren't like back home, and the foreign labels didn't help much, either. I found myself looking for familiar labels and well-known brands I couldn't miss. A hundred and fifty Euros lighter, I made my way back up the stairs to put the shopping away.

The spare room was ready. I had bought some new bedding in more masculine colours. The baby pink Alice had chosen just wasn't right for Seth somehow. I'd gone with chocolate brown and cream, simple stripes, nothing fancy. The room now looked neutral and inviting. I hoped the bed was going to be big enough. I gnawed at my bottom lip, picturing him trying to settle down for the night. Huh, well, there was nothing I could do about that now.

My phone pinged with a message. I picked it up, expecting Nathalie or even Seth. My heart lurched when I saw the name...Edward

_**Are you free to talk for a few minutes?**_

_**If not now, let me know when.**_

_**E**_

Huh! Curt as usual, but what was with the E? I wondered what he wanted to talk about. It was Saturday after all and I wasn't on work's time.

I sent a text back to him almost immediately.

_**Shall I ring you?**_

Less than a minute later, my phone rang. Edward's name flashed up before me. I felt sick, both with excitement and worry. With a deep breath, I answered with as much calm as I could muster.

"Edward, hello, how are you?"

"Good, thank you, you?"

"I'm good, too, busy, but good. So, what can I do for you on a Saturday morning?"

"Straight to the point as always I see," he chuckled a little quietly. "I understand from Emmett that you're having a visitor?"

"He told you about that, did he?"

"He did. Look, I know I have no right to ask, and you can tell me fuck off or mind my own business, but I just had to ask if he was coming with a view to the two of you getting together?" He sounded so sad, but like he said, he had no right to question me on what might or might not be going on.

I itched to tell him to fuck right off and mind his own business and I would mind mine. My head was telling me that that was what I should do, but my heart…my heart was beating really fast and clinging to the hope that he was asking because he still loved me and he was maybe a little jealous. With a resounding sigh, I decided to be the bigger person and be nice.

"Not that it's any business of yours, but Seth is someone who is dear to me…a friend. It'll be nice to see him, see someone from back home."

"I'm sorry, Bella; I've just been eaten up with jealousy ever since Emmett told me he was coming to see you. I know I have no right, but I can't help it. I can't seem to help anything when it comes to you. I miss you. Look, I know you don't need to hear this and what I think, but I really do miss you and I'm so sorry that I acted so stupidly when we talked. I'm an idiot; my stupid pride overruled my heart. I'm miserable, Bella; I've never felt so low. Can you ever forgive me?"

My heart soared with his admission. It sounded like Edward had it as bad as me. Dare I open myself up to this man once more, and if I did, what would be the point with being so far away?

"I miss you, too, Edward, so much. You have no need to be jealous, but like you say, you really have no right in view of us not being together. I know you feel responsible for the no-fraternization policy and adhering to it, but you made me feel like what we had was cheap and tacky. What you wanted to do made our potential relationship sound like a sordid extra-marital affair. You hurt me to even suggest we hide our feelings. It's going to take some time for me to get past that, Edward."

"I know and believe me, no one knows better than me because I hurt me, too. Look, I'm going to say this and risk pissing you off even more, but you do realise Seth will try to change your mind while he's there? He wants you to consider him as a real alternative, Bella. He's serious about this."

"Edward, stop. Seth knows that I love you. If he tries to convince me otherwise, I'll talk to him." My words were out before I could even think about to what I had just confessed. Shit, I could almost hear him shifting his feet uncomfortably at the other end of the phone.

"You still love me?" his voice was gentle and quiet and I knew in that moment, not that I ever doubted it, that it was still one hundred percent true.

The silence was awkward, but I could not lie to him. "You know I do, but the point is moot, I'm here, you're there…"

"You could come home, come back to me, we can sort it out. Bella, I love you, too, and it isn't going away any time soon."

"I'm in the middle of a big assignment, Edward; I can't just up and leave Nathalie in the lurch. My work ethic wouldn't allow me to do that for something personal. My life at the moment is secondary to work. It's how I operate. Sorry, but that's just me. "

"I know, and it's one of the things that attracted me to you. So when you come home, we can talk again, see if there's still a chance for us?"

"Maybe, we'll see. Look, I need to go; I have to pick Seth up at the airport. It was really nice to talk to you, Edward, I miss hearing your voice. Can we talk a little more often, do you think?"

"I'd like that; I'd love to talk to you more. Name the time and day and I'll be waiting for your call or I'll ring you." He sounded so eager and I let out a little laugh.

"Seth is here for a week. I'll text you when he leaves and we'll talk then, okay? You can always email me during the week; I'm working until noon every day. Well, not Monday because someone wants me to be at the Monday meeting so I guess I'll see you then."

"There's no rest for the wicked, eh? So, I'll see you first thing Monday morning, via video conference at least?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then I guess. I'll look forward to it," I sighed feeling a bit lighter.

"Bella, I've missed seeing you, and believe me, I really do need to see you again, for my sanity if nothing else, make sure you're real and not a figment of my imagination."

"Oh, I'm real, Edward, I can assure you of that. Look, I really need to go; I'll see you on Monday. Nathalie has set it all up for us. So...bye."

"Bye, Bella."

I held my phone close to my chest for a few minutes, just giving myself a moment to process his words. With a broad smile on my face, I made my way to the car.

Driving to the airport, I replayed our conversation over and over. Sure he'd only called because he was jealous of Seth, but he called me, he still loved me, and there was still the chance of an "us." Was Edward right, would Seth make his play while he was here? I hoped not, I could do with him being just a friend right now.

The flight had already landed and I walked through the doors to arrivals. Seth should have been making his way through customs in about ten minutes providing there hadn't been any issues with his luggage.

A slow trickle of people started to come through the doors. I found that I was really looking forward to seeing Seth again. His huge personality as well as his huge tanned and muscular body, yeah, I might have loved those things about him, but how the hell would the people of Paris deal with the larger-than-life man that was Seth Clearwater? It was bound to be interesting.

He appeared with two elderly ladies attached to his arms. They were chattering ten to the dozen in French and all he was doing was grinning like a fool. When he spied me, he made his way over, bringing the ladies with him.

"Bella," he hugged me tight, "Let me introduce you to these two lovely ladies that have kept me company on the flight. Ladies, this is the lovely Isabella Swan, Bella to her friends, she's the girl I was telling you about. Bella, I'd like to introduce you to Miriam Angelles and Irina Bouquet. They're sisters who've been visiting relatives in Seattle. They've given me the low-down on all the places I need to see while I'm here," he winked at me.

"Miriam, Irina, pleased to meet you," I shook both of their delicate hands.

"Ah, Bella, Seth here has told us all about you and how he hopes to win your heart in the beautiful city of Paris." My heart sank at Irina's words. Edward, it appeared, might have been right.

We all made our way towards the exit. Seth got his ladies sorted into a nearby taxi, making sure that their luggage was secure before kissing each of them on the cheek. He was quite the ladies' man.

"Didn't take you long to make an impression on the French ladies, did it?" I asked him laughing.

"What can I say, Swan; the Clearwater school of charm is always open and looking for new pupils. So, ready to sign up?"

"Shut up, we need to shop for you some food before we go home," I told him heading towards a large shopping centre close by.

"Don't talk about food, Bella, I'm starving. Did you see the size of the food served on planes? It's a joke! How is a man my size supposed to survive on that?" he droned on and on and I let him.

With Seth being hungry, I decide a food stop before shopping was in order else I was liable to leave the market with a severely depleted bank account. The shopping complex we came to had several restaurants and cafés. Seth could choose what he wanted to eat.

"So, Mr. Clearwater, what type of food do you want to get you through the rest of the day until dinner? There are traditional French restaurants here, along with Italian, Chinese, and I think the last time I was here I saw a Mexican place. So take your pick."

"Mmm, what do you fancy? Other than me of course," he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I shook my head and got out of the car. "Okay, seeing as you're putting all this on me, how about Italian?"

"Italian sounds good to me."

It was still early afternoon and the restaurant was busy, but they had a table for us straight away. Once we were seated, the waiter came over and took our drink order then quickly disappeared.

"You look good, Bella; I needn't have worried about you."

"Thank you, Seth, I am good, actually. Busy, but good. Life here is certainly interesting, I can tell you that."

"How's the investigation going? Are you any closer to finding the leak?"

"I'm not sure yet. I have my suspicions; Edward had the same ones, too," I told him and realised I had said his name without hesitation. Huh, our conversation earlier had really done wonders.

"Wow, you do realise you just said his name without cringing or welling up? Does that mean you're finally over him, can I hope that's the case?"

"No, Seth, sorry, it means we've talked and I can deal with things better now. I still feel the same way about him. Look, I know this is not what you want to hear, but if we're going to have fun this week, I think we should get this out of the way now so there's no confusion. Is that okay with you?"

"I suppose so."

"You're my friend, Seth; I like you, really like you. You're like the troublesome baby brother I never had. If I'm being honest here, I don't know that you'd be an option, even if I didn't love Edward. Look, I'm sorry to say this so bluntly, but...there are no tingles, Seth. You make me laugh and like I said, I really like you, but that's it. It's strictly platonic for me. There's no shortness of breath, no pounding in my chest, nothing that should be there if you were a potential boyfriend." I felt embarrassed to even look at him now.

"Cut me again, Bella, why don't you? Geez, you sound like you're looking to have a panic attack, not symptoms of being in love," he laughed. "You know, I'm still a bit amazed that you appear immune to the Clearwater charm," he grinned widely at me.

"What can I say? Look, like I've said many times before, I want you as a friend. I can vet potential girlfriends and get rid of any skanks for you. You're a catch for sure, but just not for me, not in that way. Please understand."

"I do, sorry you felt you had to say all that. I did hope while I was here that you'd rethink your previous determination to not consider me. Sorry. So you and Edward have talked? How did that go?"

"Well, he might be a little bit jealous of you being here right now. Oh, I know he has no right and I let him know that, but we talked and it was nice." I smiled remembering.

"Tingles?" Seth asked.

"Oh, yeah, there are definitely tingles."

"I never stood a chance, did I?"

"No," I shook my head smiling, "You didn't. Sorry."

"Hey, don't be sorry, he's actually a really good guy when his head's not so far up his own arse. This pride thing and the no-fraternization policy has him arse over tits. I'm sure he'll see the error of his ways soon enough. He deserves a good woman like you, Bella; you'll be good for him in the long-term. Keep his head from lodging permanently up his arse and all that."

We both laughed and agreed not to talk about my feelings for Edward this week.

After spending another three hundred Euros on food, god knows where I was going to store it all, we headed home. Seth made all the right noises about my apartment. He even tried out the bed and assured me he would be fine, even though he had to curl up into the fetal position just to fit.

"On Monday, I have to work in the afternoon. I have a video conference with Seattle, but after that, like you suggested, I'll work eight o'clock through till noon. You won't even know I've been gone."

"Can I come to the office Monday, see where you're working, and meet the infamous Ms Oberlauge? I need to see if she's as scary as Edward says she is."

"That'll be fine; she's actually looking forward to meeting you. She is as scary if not more so, but I like her. eShe's just lonely, but goes about securing friendships and potential lovers in all the wrong ways. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Emmett said she was constantly trying to get into Edward's pants. Boy would I have liked to be a fly on the wall to see how he handled that," he chuckled.

"I've heard it from both sides, Seth. Edward was pretty terrified, especially whenever she got him alone. She's rather tactile so you can imagine how he reacted. She, on the other hand, acts like that with all males with a pulse, she sees it as normal. Wait and you'll see what I mean."

"I can hardly wait," he added sarcastically.

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**Until next time...**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Firm **

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**SM owns all that is the amazing Twilight.**

**Dollybigmomma rocks as beta.**

**Chapter 19**

**EDWARD**

A real sense of calm came over me after our conversation. Sure, we were thousands of miles apart, but our feelings were still the same. She still felt the same way I did and Seth being over there was not going to change that. All his smooth "Clearwater Charm" was going to fall on deaf ears or come up against a brick wall. I had every confidence in Bella being able to handle Seth Clearwater. A wry smile crossed my lips at the thought of Bella putting him in his place.

I wondered if Bella would introduce him to Nathalie while he was there. Now that would be a meeting I would like to see. I chuckled quietly, wondering how Seth, the size of a man mountain, would cope with Nathalie's wandering hands and direct approach. She was sure to want to get him into bed once she cleared it with Bella that he was a free agent. Oh, to be a fly on that wall...

My mum and dad had once again collared me into spending some time at home. I relented much quicker than I usually did, the reason being I had nothing to stay away for. I had an afternoon of drinking planned with Emmett and Jasper tomorrow, but until then, I was alone and bored. Even my work was up to date and not holding my interest. I had taken on several of Bella's cases. It seemed the sensible thing to do seeing as she had taken over for me in Paris. She, of course, had also done some of my prep while I had been over there. I was now returning the favour.

I was more than a little impressed at how she had left things, every case right up to date. Annotations all over the files, letting whoever was taking over the case know her thoughts and what she had planned next. She worked just like I did; notes everywhere, it was like reading my own mind. It was no wonder we gelled, we seem to be like two peas from the same pod.

Being a man down, so to speak, things at the office were hectic. Jasper had gotten me to back down, for now at least, on firing Newton. His argument was that with Bella being in Paris, we really couldn't lose anyone else. I had countered with the fact that Newton didn't pull his own weight, never mind helping cover for someone else's. A short meeting was held where Emmett, Jasper, and I all read him the riot act. He promised to change and since then, he hadn't been hanging around Jessica's desk anymore. His updates appeared on time and from what I had seen, all appeared to be in order. It was one less thing to worry about, at least for now.

My parents were having a barbecue today. They had invited some old friends, Kate and Eleazar Denali. I couldn't really remember them, but I knew they had a daughter about my age and I seemed to recall picnics when we were kids and her following me around like a bad smell. I'd heard she had just recently come out of a bad marriage and was back living with her parents. That probably meant she would be there today. Great, matchmaking mums, that was all I needed. I had warned my mum over the phone not to even go there, but I knew her too well.

When I pulled up outside my parents' house, there were several cars there I did not recognise. I wondered how many people had been invited. As I entered the house, people I had never seen before flitted about between the rooms.

"Darling, there you are," my mum grabbed me and kissed me on the cheek. "Come with me, dad has some people he wants you to meet." I rolled my eyes, but I followed her like a well-trained puppy.

In the garden, dad was in charge of the cooking. He looked like a right pillock dressed in a chef's apron and hat. Why, oh why, did parents have to be so embarrassing?

"Edward, come over here, Son. Eleazar, you remember Edward, don't you?" he motioned to the tall man stood to his side.

"I do, Carlisle. Edward, it's good to see you again. I hear you're doing great things with your career. My daughter, Tanya, is also in law; she opted for corporate law, though. She'll be sorry to have missed you, she couldn't come today." I breathed a sigh of relief, no matchmaking at least.

"Eleazar, it's good to see you, too. I'm busy and things at work are going great." I intentionally left out an enquiry about Tanya and hoped they got the hint that I was not interested.

I mingled like any good son would do, but was soon feeling out of place. After grabbing a burger and some salad, I headed inside to find mum and let her know I was leaving.

"Mum, a word please," I touched her on the elbow and led her to the kitchen. "I'm heading out; leave you and dad to entertain your guests."

"Oh, Edward, no, I told your dad it would've been better if Kate and Eleazar had made Tanya come. At least then you would've had someone your own age to talk to."

"Mum, I'm not interested in Tanya Denali, today or ever. Please don't try to set me up with her because I'll embarrass you. Look, I don't want to get your hopes up or anything, but I think I might've already met someone very special," my words hung in the air as my mum let them sink in.

"Really?" She took me by the arm and led me to my dad's office. "Tell me more, please."

"Well, things are complicated right now, but I like her, really like her, and she likes me. I'm hoping maybe in time we can work things out. That's why I don't want you setting me up with anyone, not even as a friend. I don't need any more complications."

We both sat down.

"She isn't married is she? Edward, that would be a disaster."

"No, Mum, she isn't married, she's single and beautiful and everything about her screams that she's perfect for me."

"She sounds wonderful, so what's complicated about her?"

"She's not complicated; she is, however, in Paris, France right now and will be for a while. She took over the Oberlauge case from me."

"She works with you? I thought you were pretty strict about the no-fraternization policy? You were the one to insist on it if I remember correctly. I can remember Emmett moaning to me about it."

"It's one of the complications. I made a hash of things when we went out on date. I embarrassed her, made what we feel for each other seem cheap, and she took off, made me let her go to Paris. I didn't fight her on it."

"You and your pride, Edward Cullen, you've always been the same. This is the first time you've talked to me about a girl, Son, thank you for doing that. Now that I know, I promise I won't let Kate and Eleazar push Tanya on you. So what's her name?"

"Isabella Swan, but she prefers Bella."

"It's a beautiful name."

"It suits her, she's very beautiful, quiet, and a little shy, at least at first, but at work she's feisty and confident and challenges me at every turn. I love it; she makes me feel things I've never felt before. Look, Mum, I'm keeping you from your guests, can we do lunch one day this week and talk some more?"

"Oh, Edward, I'd love that. Thank you for confiding in me, can I tell your dad? I can see she's what has changed you; you were never one to talk about your feelings. I think I'm going to like this girl."

When I got home, I felt so much lighter. Who would have thought opening up to someone like my mum could make me feel so much better, put things into more perspective.

Sunday dawned grey and drizzly, not a good day for a day out at the pub, but neither Jasper nor Emmett wanted to cancel. We met a little after three o'clock, all dressed casually. We headed to a local bar that had pool tables as well as a welcoming atmosphere. The food was pretty good, too. Emmett would never deign to go to a place that did not serve him good food. Like Seth, he was a man mountain and his stomach often ruled his head.

It was quiet when we first arrived so we sat in a booth and ordered our food. We chatted casually about work and my parents while we waited for our food to arrive. We all agreed that Newton was doing okay, at least for now. Jasper's sudden enquiry startled me.

"So, Edward, have you spoken to the lovely Ms. Swan?" he grinned straight at me.

"Um, yes, I have, yesterday, and I told her I wasn't happy about Seth going to stay."

"I hope she told you to fuck off," Emmett added.

"Why? She let me know it wasn't my concern, but she also let me know I had nothing to worry about. It was good; I think we made some progress. We're going to talk more while she's there, see if we can resolve our issues for when she comes home."

"Don't you mean _your_ issues, Edward? Bella, from what I seem to remember, did nothing wrong other than walk away when you wanted to keep your relationship a secret. And I also seem to recall that on Monday after the meeting, we have an important bit to add in. Nathalie will come in after we're done with all the other business and talk about Bella staying on. It'll give us a chance to see how Bella feels about that. Edward, it might be better if you leave for that."

"Why? For fucks' sake, my whole life is potentially balancing on that one thing, why would I want to leave?"

"Do you not think that you being there might affect Bella's decision? If she sees you upset, it may make her say something she doesn't mean. Look, we can ask her before we talk, see what she says."

My good mood soured as I realised that what Jasper was saying was true. She actually might want to stay in Paris and not dare say so if I was there pleading with her with my eyes to come home.

"Okay, we'll ask her before we start if she wants me to leave." I would give in to that at least.

Hours flew by as we played pool and enjoyed our drinks. It was not late and the bar was filling up. Women of all sizes and ages walked by our booth, trying to get our attention and Emmett loved it. He always had a smile for the ladies, whether he was interested or not.

"Oh, wow, Jazz, Ed, look at those two," Emmett pointed out two women who had just walked in. One was a lithe blonde, full of confidence and so she well should have been with her looks. The other was her polar opposite, petite and delicate, with short black hair cut in a trendy pixie style. They both seemed familiar somehow, but from where?

**BELLA**

Seth's first night was a quiet one. We took a long walk along the left bank of the Seine and watched artists at work. We got a caricature of each other in a silly pose. I promised to get them framed before he left. He was tired and so was I so after finishing off a bottle of wine, we both said goodnight.

Sunday dawned bright and fresh. Seth had a list of all the sites he wanted to see. I hoped he did not expect to achieve them all today. We opted for central Paris today. The Arc De Triomphe, The Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, and of course The Louvre were on today's agenda. We agreed to do the museum in the morning. I myself fancied a relaxing morning wandering around perusing the famous pictures it housed. The other things on his list would have to wait. Some of them, I suspected, we wouldn't get around to in just a week.

The Louvre was crowded, tourists from every continent vying to see the most famous of paintings. Seth and I stood there as well.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about, do you? It looks a little grubby to me."

"I know what you mean, but I think nowadays it's more about what it all stands for. Its age alone is incredible. The colours are a little drab for my taste. I like 'The Sunflowers' by Van Gogh, though, and Monet, I love Monet's stuff."

"I never had you pegged as the romantic type, Swan. The hard-as-nails lawyer stuff is all a front, I'm realising now," Seth nudged me as we walked on.

We stopped for a light lunch later, at least for me. Seth, as usual, had the entire menu. At this rate, I was going to go broke. Fortunately for me, he insisted we go Dutch. With Seth's appetite, I readily agreed.

The afternoon was spent high up on the observation platform in the Eiffel Tower. The views were incredible. The bright clear day had remained. Couples milled around us, it was clearly a place for lovers. It made me a little sad that I was here with my friend and not sharing this with the man I was in love with. Maybe I would get a chance to do it again in the future. I think Seth picked up on my melancholy mood and suggested we move on.

The Arc De Triomphe was magnificent. We stood and stared quietly, you could do nothing else. The Tomb held you in its grasp, it made you feel everything it represented and more. After hundreds of pictures, we headed back home exhausted.

Monday was upon us and we strolled to a local café bar and had a traditional Parisian breakfast. We talked and talked. Seth was looking forward to the afternoon and his meet and greet with Nathalie.

We were headed to the office by three o'clock. We needed to be there for four o'clock since the meeting in Seattle started at eight thirty sharp and I couldn't be late. I didn't want to be late, I wanted to see Edward. I needed to see him.

I made the introductions and noticed that Nathalie's eyes lit up as I expected when I introduced her to Seth. He didn't let me down, either, as he played his role exactly as I had expected he would.

"Ms. Oberlauge, the pleasure is all mine, I can assure you. Bella has told me many good things about you and your organisation," the smooth bastard dipped his head and kissed her hand briefly.

I left them to their flirting and made my way to the conference room. I was as nervous as hell. I had dressed carefully today, taking my time to remain professional with a hint of sexy. I wanted Edward to notice.

The computer was already on as I sat down, the screen full of static as the link was not yet up. I opened my notebook and waited. My hands started to sweat as my nerves got the better of me. I was startled a little when the screen changed and Emmett's face up close and personal was the first thing I saw.

"Bella, good to see you, are you well?" he asked loudly.

"Emmett, I'm good, thank you. There's no need to shout by the way, I can hear you perfectly well. So, are we ready?"

"Sorry for shouting, we're just waiting for the others. Edward is running late these days. He was just freshening up when I called in on him a little while ago."

Mike Newton, Jessica, and Jasper entered the room next. Mike seemed a little different; he had a folder full to overflowing in front of him.

"Mike, Jessica, Jasper, it's good to see you all. How are you? What have I been missing?"

Jessica started filling me in. Mike, I was surprised to say, said nothing after he said a simple hello. I must remember to ask Edward what was going on there. He entered the room then and my eyes filled with tears. Shit, this was not good. As the others turned to greet him, I was able to wipe them away unnoticed.

"Bella, good to see you, you look well," he added as he sat down, looking like he belonged at the top of Mount Olympus with the rest of the gods.

The next hour was full of updates on everyone's cases, including mine. Edward expertly gave me updates on where we were. I could have been reading the updates out myself he worked so like me.

With the weeks' business concluded, Jessica and Mike left the room. I was about to sign off, too, when Jasper spoke to me.

"Bella, Nathalie is going to join us for this part of the meeting in about five minutes. First, we'd like to ask you something. Well, tell you something, too. Look, Edward told us about him being an idiot, we wish he'd told us sooner; we might've been able to prevent you being over in Paris right now." Edward looked uncomfortable, he did not look at me, but I could see his blush from here.

"Okay, so?"

"Well, last week Nathalie asked about the possibility of you staying on in Paris on a more permanent basis. We'd like to get your thoughts on that when she comes in, but first I need to know if Edward being here in this meeting will make your decision more difficult. He can always leave the room if you don't want to upset him."

Edward looked at me now. "Bella, love, you know I want you to come back here, but if you truly want to stay in Paris, I'll support you, you know that."

"Thank you, Edward. Jasper, I'm happy for Edward to stay. I have my own opinions about staying and I'm happy to tell you what they are. Shall I call Nathalie in?"

"Yes, please do. Thank you."

Less than a minute later, we both walked back into the room and sat down.

"Ladies, thank you for taking the time today to talk to us," Emmett said starting the meeting.

"Monsieur McCarty, Monsieur Hale, and of course, Edward, Mon Cherie, it's good to see you all," Nathalie said and I blushed and looked down at my pad. Poor Edward, I could feel his embarrassment from here.

"Nathalie, please, you know it's Emmett and Jasper. So Nathalie, we've considered your request to retain Bella in Paris on a more permanent basis. We've reached the conclusion that it's really up to Bella herself. We'll support her in whatever she decides."

All eyes turned to me. Edward's never left mine all the time Emmett was talking, anyway. I could feel my blush rise as I was now the focus of all their attention.

"Bella, Mon Cherie?" Nathalie addressed me.

"I'm flattered, of course, by both the fact that I'm wanted here on a more permanent basis and the fact that you don't want to lose me from Seattle. I know what I want to do. I want to stay here." A gasp of shock brought my attention back to the screen. Edward looked visibly sick. His face had turned pale and held a look of pure agony. "If you'll let me finish, please," I said looking straight at him. My eyes filled with tears once again as I realised he had thought I meant I wanted to stay for good. "I want to stay and finish up the case. Get a result before coming home. If you'll agree to that, I'd be very happy. Then I'd like to come home after, if that's okay with all of you?"

"Bella, are you sure? I mean what we talked about earlier, is this what you really want?" Jasper asked.

"It is and my answer would've been the same either way. Nathalie, I hope that's okay with you. Can we talk about it later?"

"Don't worry, Bella, I think I've always known there was something calling you back to Seattle. Now I know what that something is," she looked directly at Edward.

"Okay, I think that's our business concluded for today. Ladies," Jasper nodded.

"Wait, Nathalie, would you object if I keep Bella for a few more minutes? I'd like to talk to her in private."

"Not at all, Edward. _Au revior_."

When the door was closed and it was just me and him, I finally relaxed a bit.

"So, you wanted to talk to me?" I asked him.

"Yes and no, I don't want to talk, but I just wanted to see you one-on-one. You look incredible by the way. You wore that on purpose, didn't you? Are you trying to kill me on purpose, Ms. Swan?" his tone was teasing and I realised I had missed it.

"Well, I did consider how I looked today, probably a little more than usual. You look good, too, Edward, but I'm sure you know that already." I would swear I heard him growl a little.

"Sorry for reacting like that when you said you wanted to stay. I panicked. I do that nowadays. So, are you sure I've not influenced your decision like Jasper asked earlier?"

"Well, you certainly were part of the decision, but not all of it. There are Alice and Rose and Seth over in Seattle, too. I like it here, but it's not home and it's definitely not where I want to be permanently."

"It's great to see you, I miss you so much," he told me honestly.

"It's good to see you, too, Edward, I miss you every day."

"So how is Seth doing in Paris? Behaving himself I hope?"

"We got things straightened out the day he arrived. No need to worry, Edward, I told you that. We're having fun, he makes me laugh. We've been seeing the sights; he has a list of things to do. What have you been up to?"

"I went to my parents' on Saturday for a barbecue. I didn't stay long, though. I might've told my mum about you."

"What do you mean?"

"I told her about you, how I feel about you, how beautiful you are. She likes you already."

"Edward, we don't even know what's going to happen between you and me. There's still your damn policy to contend with don't forget."

"Yeah, I know, but Jasper's going to help me sort that. It should be done by the time you come home. God, Bella, I wish it was soon."

"I know, I do, too.

"So, I guess I'd better let you go get back to work," he sighed.

"I guess so," I added quietly.

"Can we do this again, just the two of us? I mean as well as talk and text? I like seeing you, it makes me feel calmer."

"Well, you're the boss, Edward, so I think you can pretty much do what you want."

"You wouldn't mind, say, a weekly half an hour to talk like this? I know I'd look forward to it."

"I would, too. I'll leave that with you then. So I better go."

"Bella..." I turned to look at him; his stare was intense and full of emotion. I felt everything he was.

"I know, Edward, believe me, I know."

Reluctantly, I pressed end and the connection was lost. I walked out of the room with a smile on my face. Minutes later, my phone pinged with a message.

**I was going to say**

**I love you**

**E**

I replied what I had said in the room.

**I know.**

**Me, too.**

**X**


	21. Chapter 21

**The Firm**

**Thanks to everyone for reading and staying with this. Thanks also to everyone who takes the time to review, it means the world.**

**This is a little early, I'm busy tomorrow.**

**Dollybigmomma, you rock as beta!**

**SM owns, I borrow and play.**

**Chapter 20**

**Edward**

With all the excitement of seeing and talking to Bella, I had forgotten about the two women at the bar on Sunday. Then out of nowhere, it hit me. I knew who they were. I knew I had seen them both before and I was almost positive I knew where from. They were Bella's friends from the bar that night when she first started here at the firm, I was sure of it. Huh, how funny was that? My two best friends were lusting after Bella's best friends.

I decided to keep my new-found knowledge to myself, at least for now. Jasper had promised to work on adapting the no-fraternization policy with me. He thought I should let him rewrite the whole thing seeing as I was the one involved with a colleague. It was hard to let it go. I knew if Bella and I stood any chance at all, the damn thing needed to go, or at the very least be amended.

My mind wandered to Paris often this week. I still felt insecure over the fact that Seth was there, and I hadn't heard from Bella since I saw her on the conference call Monday. I knew I was pathetic, but I just missed her. I wanted to hear her voice and listen to her tell me she loved me before she hung up the phone. I suppose I would have to wait until Seth left to speak to her again.

Tuesday dragged into Wednesday, and on into Thursday. Jasper arrived at my door, waving a piece of paper at me.

"What has you so chipper?" I asked him looking up from my work.

"I want you to look over the new policy and tell me what you think."

He handed over the page of A-4 paper and I started to read.

_**Here at Cullen, Hale, and McCarty, we pride ourselves on keeping our private lives just that, private. Being a small firm, we're more like a family, and this policy aims to ensure that the privacy of our staff is safeguarded, as well as ensuring a place of work where we remain professional at all times.**_

_**Any personal relationships between members of the Cullen, Hale, and McCarty staff must remain professional and not interfere with either party's ability to carry out their professional duties at all times. **_

_**All displays of affection and personal interaction must be kept to your own time, (for example, before the start of your day/lunchtimes/at the end of your day) and should not be forced to be witnessed by other members of the team. **_

_**Providing that the above rules are adhered to, Messer's Cullen, Hale, and McCarty have no issues with members of the firm's staff being involved in a personal relationship.**_

_**Should any interoffice relationships have a negative effect on any aspect of either party's work or pose any conflicts of interest, the partners reserve the right to terminate employment with no prior notice.**_

_**If a relationship should come to a natural conclusion, it is expected that a professional working relationship will be maintained at all times. If this is not possible, the partners will be left with no alternative, than to terminate the employment of both parties involved.**_

_**This policy will be reviewed annually by Messer's Cullen, Hale, and McCarty.**_

After reading the document, I looked up at Jasper and asked, "Are you seriously saying we should amend the policy to this?"

"Why not? It covers keeping things professional and makes sure no one shoves anything down anyone else's throat. I thought you'd like it. It mean's Bella can come home and you two can be together."

"It's a little vague isn't it? Isn't it also a bit hypocritical on my part?"

"Well, I wrote it so who cares? Look, Edward, you're miserable without Bella. This solves everyone's problem and makes for a more harmonious work place, too."

"I've been better since Monday," I argued sulkily.

"Barely, Emmett thinks it's okay so I only need your approval and we'll get the damn thing changed once and for all. We can email Bella her copy, she'll see the changes, and all will be well when she comes back. By the way, have you heard from Seth?"

"No, I assumed he was having way too much fun with my girl to think about contacting us. Why do you ask?"

"Emmett said he got a text from him, but it made no sense. Ask Bella next time you talk."

"Seth will be back by then. I'm sure you can ask him yourself."

"So can I have your approval of the new policy for relationships at work? I think it's far better suited to what we require. Yours was too...stuffy, pre-Bella, Mr. Edward 'uptight' Cullen."

"You're so funny, you know that?" I asked wondering if I should mention the woman from the bar that he'd had a moment with. "So, have you found out who your mystery woman is yet? You know, the one you had a 'moment' with in the coffee shop."

"Edward Cullen, I can't believe you're mocking me when I've just saved your ass from a long and lonely life without Isabella Swan. Should I just rip this up and we carry on as normal?"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Hey, I wasn't going to say anything, but I'm sure I've seen those two women before."

"Oh yeah, where, in my dreams?"

"No, Jazz, I'm serious. I think, and I may be wrong, but when Bella first started here, I saw her out with some friends in a bar. The said friends were fairly wasted and Bella got rid of me pretty quickly. I think the women Bella was with that night might've been the two from the bar on Sunday."

"You think Bella might know the woman of my dreams? Why aren't you talking to her right now and asking for a name and address, a phone number at least?"

"Jazz, I'm not a hundred percent sure on this. I'll talk to Bella after Seth leaves and see if she can throw any light on my thoughts. I might be way off on this so don't go getting all excited, and don't tell Emmett."

"I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine, partner."

"My back is perfectly fine, thank you, Jasper, now go and let me get on with some work. The new policy is okay, at least for now. I suppose we'll have to play it by ear and see what arises."

With a nod, he left without giving me any further grief.

I was packed up for the night when I noticed a couple of unread emails. The first was from Jasper attaching a copy of the new "personal relationship policy." I clicked on it and read through Jasper's short note explaining that everyone should sign and save the new policy. The next email was from Bella. No words were under her heading of the new policy, just a red smiley face. I guess she liked it.

Tomorrow, I had a lunch date with my mum. We'd hoped to get together before now, but our schedules had clashed and Friday was the only day we were both free. I booked us a table at a small café bar not too far from the office. I smiled to myself, knowing I was in for the grilling of the century. I looked forward to it. I liked talking about Bella. I mean, if I couldn't talk to her in person, what else was better than to talk about her?

**BELLA**

The week had been…

How would I describe it?

Weird…definitely, surreal…you bet, and awkward…like you wouldn't believe. Had I enjoyed it? Well, yeah, but who would have thought? Huh.

So, after my one-on-one with Edward, I returned to my office, which I found empty. Strange, where the hell was Seth? I found him a little while later lounging comfortably in Nathalie's office, the two of them flirting for all fucking France. I felt immediately out of place and excused myself, going to back to my office to finish up for the day.

When I went to collect Seth, he actually dumped me with a flourish. "Nathalie will make sure I get back to yours a little later, Swan. She's going to show me the real Paris at night."

I didn't say anything, but I left more than a little stunned. I wanted to giggle, actually, and thought I'd better do it in the confines of my apartment. Oh, if only Edward could have seen what I'd just seen. I didn't even hear Seth come back. It must have been long after I gave up waiting and went to bed, which was well after midnight.

Keeping to our original schedule, I headed to the office early each morning and was back home before Seth emerged from his room. I played the good friend and didn't ask him what had happened on Monday. He would tell me in his own time, if he wanted me to know. I noticed that Nathalie waltzed around the office like the cat that got the cream. She'd definitely gotten laid. Ew, no way did I even want to think about that. Her and Seth, ew, that was just so…ugh.

The email from Seattle surprised me. I sat and read the new policy over and over before I electronically signed it and filed it for future reference. Jasper was a good friend. He'd taken this heavy burden from Edward and sorted it in no time at all. I would have to remember to thank him when I saw him.

I couldn't resist acknowledging it to Edward. I hoped he understood the red smiley face represented two things; firstly, my blush, and secondly, that I was happy the damn policy was no longer an issue.

The mole was still being quiet and it didn't help me one iota. What it did do, however, was give me time to really look into Nathalie's accounts. I was in the middle of cross-referencing them with the company's bank statement. I was no accountant and it was a tedious job, but surely it would unveil more clues. I had come across over a hundred discrepancies from the last two years and noticed a massive amount of money was unaccounted for, missing, gone without a trace.

I scheduled a meeting with the financial director, Gerald Buffon, for later the next day. Surely he must have noticed the missing funds since he was responsible for the company's accounts. I'd see if he could throw any light on the situation. I wondered to myself if I was getting any closer to the truth here at Nathalie's.

Seth wasn't here when I got back today. What the fuck? I had things I could have been doing at the office and him wasting my time was starting to grate on my usually-patient nature. A swift call to Nathalie at the office told me exactly where he was. She had left for the day, showing a friend the sights of Paris. Yeah right, she was showing that particular friend that sight of her bedroom ceiling no doubt. Once again, I cringed at the thought.

Friday dawned, Seth's last full day, and he was joining me at the office. Nathalie wanted to send him off with a bang. "I'll bet she does," I chuntered to myself as we walked through the revolving doors once again. I left him and headed off to my office where Gerald was already there waiting quietly.

"Sorry I'm late, Gerald. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long," I grovelled in the hope it would get him to open up a bit.

I knew he was nervous of me. Nathalie let on a while ago that my confidence scared him to death. He was a mouse of a man. Nathalie assured me he was good at what he did, but he had no confidence, or personality.

He nodded and smiled shyly. An hour later, he was stunned at what I showed him. It would appear he was not aware of the embezzlement going on here. That or he was a really good actor. He was reluctant to give his opinion when I asked him who he thought could be responsible. He seemed more than a little afraid. He knew something, that was for sure. I knew I might need extra help with this. If the person or people responsible for this were scaring people, it could turn nasty when I cut off their "unearned" funds.

Before Gerald left my office, we set up new secure passwords on all the company's account information. No one but he and I would be allowed access. I had also arranged for new security passwords to be set up on the company's bank accounts. No one without the passwords would be allowed to even view the accounts. It was all I could think of doing for now. I needed to bring Nathalie in on all this, but she was too busy getting her rocks off with my friend so I left her out of it, at least for now. Come Monday, hopefully she would be back to normal and we could decide how best to proceed.

On Seth's last night, he didn't show his face and I was more than a little aggrieved. I had taken time to make a nice dinner for us and he stood me up, the selfish bastard. I cleared my mind and considered how best to address this. I wondered if he still expected me to take him to the airport tomorrow. I'd sleep on it.

It was later than I planned when I emerge still undressed the next morning.

"Morning, sunshine, we need to be setting off for the airport in about two hours so get a wriggle on, Swan," Seth said from his seat at my kitchen table. My question from last night was answered.

"Oh, you're back, are you? So, I'm good enough to take you to the airport, am I?"

"What's up, Swan, jealous that I've been getting some and you aren't? You need to remember that I offered my services to you first. You knocked me back in favour of Cullen, who I believe didn't put out."

"Have you heard yourself, Seth? Good god, I actually thought you came here to see me, spend some time with me, your friend. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"I did, Bella, but I had no clue Nathalie would be like she is. She's awesome, I like her. We just clicked."

"Is that what you call it? I'll have to remember that."

"Look, Bella, I'm sorry if you're pissed for whatever reason. It just happened." His childish smirk meant I couldn't stay mad at him for too long.

At the airport, he got a call from Nathalie and wandered away from me. I was glad. I didn't want to hear all their lovey-dovey shit. I waited patiently by the entrance to the departure lounge.

"I might be back sooner than you think, Swan. Nat wants me back pronto. She'll even pay for my ticket. I'll see how my schedule is at the Res and let you know."

"You'll not be staying with me next time," I told him straight.

"I suppose not. Nat will want me at her place."

"I might talk to Edward about you helping me out with something if you're going to be around anyway. Let me know your timescales."

"Okay, I will, and I'm sorry if this was awkward. I never meant it to be, you know. It was just...bang."

"I'm sure it was. Safe journey, I'll speak to you soon." I hugged him one last time before he walked slowly through the doors into the airport's departure lounge.

It seemed like Nathalie avoided me for the first few days of the next week. She couldn't put off seeing me anymore, though, as I had scheduled another meeting with Seattle via video conference in a few minutes.

I wanted to bring the guys back home up to speed on where I was in my investigation. Now that I had closed down access to their ill-gotten funds, things could get interesting round here with whoever had been bleeding the company and I needed Edward, Jasper, and Emmett to be fully aware. Nathalie also needed to be made aware of how much money had been syphoned off her bank balance.

She looked sheepish as she entered the room. We had not spoken since she'd hijacked Seth.

"Nathalie."

"Bella, do I need to apologise for my actions with Seth?"

"It has nothing to do with me, Nathalie, but he was here to see me. It was rude if nothing else. When he comes back, I've already told him he's not welcome to stay at my place again."

"I understand, _Mon Cherie_, and I apologise on both our behalves. I'm right, though, in thinking that you do not want him for yourself, no?"

"No, Nathalie, I have no interest in Seth like that."

The screen flickered to life and my heart and mind were suddenly full of Edward. He looked amazing. His hair was all over the place, like he'd just gotten out of bed, and his lazy smile made my panties very wet. He was gorgeous and I missed him like crazy.

"Hello, ladies, how are you?" he asked sitting down, never taking his eyes off me.

"Ah, Edward, we're _magnifique_, are we not, Isabella?" I nodded in agreement, a small blush rose up my cheeks.

When Jasper and Emmett also arrived, I brought them up to date.

"How much money are we talking, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Well, as far as Gerald and I can tell, more than two million Euros."

"Two million Euros?" Nathalie gasped at my side. She continued in fluent French with a whole load of what I assumed were other profanities.

"So you've shut access down?"

"I have, and only Gerald and I know the codes for the company accounts and the bank accounts. Nathalie, I can let you have them later."

"No, I do not need to know them. It's safer the less people who know, is it not?"

"It is; however, it's also dangerous. You've very likely pissed someone off big style, Bella, and you need to watch your back. Nathalie, make sure she's escorted to and from the apartment every day. I mean it, Bella; this could be just the thing to force our snake from under their rock, but it's incredibly dangerous."

"I know, and I'll be careful."

"Okay, so that now we know all this, do we just sit and wait it out?" Emmett asked.

"It appears so. Thank you all for agreeing to do this meeting. I thought it better to tell you all at once. I'll keep you all informed."

"Bella, a word please?" Edward wanted to see me on my own. My blood raced through my veins, eager to have this one-on-one time with him.

The others left after a series of short goodbyes.

"So, how was Seth's visit?" he asked getting straight to the point. I could tell he was still a little jealous.

"Okay, I suppose, but why don't you ask him for the details? I'm sure you'll enjoy his recounting of his visit."

"Oh, I'll be asking him, don't you worry. Do I need to be worried or kick his arse?"

"No," I told him laughing, "Quite the opposite, actually."

I could tell from his face he was dying to ask more, but he didn't.

"You'll be careful there, won't you? I worry."

"I know and I will be, I promise. So, how've you been this week? I expected to hear from you before now."

"I wanted to give you time with Seth. We said we'd talk when he came home."

"Yeah, I guess." I looked down now, not knowing what else to say.

"Are you okay? You seem a little off."

"I'm fine, overwhelmed a little I guess with what I've uncovered. I suppose I'm scared a little, too, wondering whether things will get nasty."

"Do you want me to come over and support you?"

"You don't need to do that, Edward. I think Seth is coming back soon. I was going to mention bringing him on board as backup."

"Seth's coming back? Why?"

"He'll tell you. He won't be staying with me, though."

"Really?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Really. So, how are you? I got the new policy Jasper sent."

Now it was Edward's turn to look down embarrassed.

"I'm okay, so what did you think of the policy?"

"Well, it's a hundred times better than the old one, but I still think I'll struggle with parts of it," I sighed.

"You do? What parts?" he asked sounding concerned.

"The controlling my displays of affection part. I want to kiss you so badly right now and we're half a world apart. How will I be able to resist when we're face-to-face in person?"

"Well, I suppose I could always make sure you're sufficiently kissed before work, top you up at lunchtime, and then again after work. How does that sound?"

"Like heaven. So you're okay? How are things with Mike? He was awfully quiet last Monday. Have you been picking on him again?"

"What? No, Jazz, Em, and I had a word with him, explained he was letting us down. We simply asked him to pull his socks up, it appears to have worked."

"Good, so can we talk this week? I miss talking to you more." I hoped I didn't sound too needy.

"We can, I miss talking to you, too. I miss seeing you, touching you, and most of all, I miss kissing you."

"Do you really, Edward? Are we going to be able to get us sorted out when I come back? I want to more than anything, but the longer I'm away, the more I worry it'll be too late."

"Bella, love, I can't wait until you come home and we can talk, sort us out once and for all. I'm not letting you go without a fight. I love you, I've never felt like this about anyone before and I want to explore it more with you. Please tell me you won't give up, Bella."

"Oh, Edward, I feel all the things you are, too, but I'm scared of the distance between us, the time apart. I want this more than anything, you know that. I guess I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself today."

"Well, how about I ring you later tonight when you're at home? We'll both be more relaxed and we can talk more, how does that sound?"

"Wonderful, I'll wait for your call then."

"Bye, Bella, and please be careful, I'll talk to you later."

Escorted home some hours later, I sat and waited for his call. I waited and waited and still my phone did not ring. What the fuck was he playing at now?

**Any ideas? Let me know...**


	22. Chapter 22

**The Firm**

**Thanks to all the usual suspects. Dollybigmomma rocks it pretty.**

**Chapter 21**

**BELLA**

I must have fallen asleep waiting for his call. When I woke up, I was still dressed and lying halfway off the sofa. My phone flashed in the darkness, letting me know I had a message.

_**Sorry I couldn't call you**_

_**Something urgent came up**_

_**I love you and I'll speak to you soon.**_

_**E **_

The message had come shortly after midnight, still only mid-afternoon in Seattle. Edward had obviously gotten called into court or something like that. I was instantly relieved and felt better knowing he had at least thought to let me know.

I missed him like crazy and I had been looking forward to talking to him some more; especially with all that was going off at Nathalie's. I could have done with a friendly ear, and someone that knew the setup would have been even better. I headed to bed for the couple of hours I had left before I needed to get up and start my day.

**EDWARD**

It had been great having the one-on-one time with Bella via video conference, but it made me miss her even more, and now with her cutting off the supply of easy money to Nathalie's mole, I was worried, really worried. After our goodbyes, I headed down to Emmett's office to see if there was anything we could do to make sure she was safe.

"Edward, if we put on protection now, it'll alert whoever is doing this that we're on to them. Nathalie's security team are doing remote surveillance, keeping their eyes and ears to the ground. They've assured Jasper they can handle anything that crops up. They'll escort Bella to and from her apartment and do a couple of drive-by runs each night and over the weekend. I think it's about all we can do for now."

"I don't like it, her being there by herself, Emmett."

"Did you not say that Seth was heading back there soon?"

"Yeah, but I don't know the details of when or for how long, and he's not staying with Bella, she told me that much."

"Why don't you talk to him and see what he thinks about Bella's safety. He might be able to put your mind at ease."

"Nothing will put my mind at ease until she's back here safe and I can see her."

"I know, man, but just talk to Seth and see what he knows, find out when he's going back. You'll feel better knowing he's there, even if he is the competition."

"I'll email him, see what he says," I agreed getting up to leave.

In my office, the red message button flashed on my phone. I hoped it was Bella, but when I listened, I found it was my mum. "Sorry, love, I tried to stop him, but your dad told Tanya where you work and told her to drop in. He told her you'd love to see her again and catch up. I've talked to him now and he says he didn't know about Bella."

I cringed at her message and wondered how the hell I was going to get out of this. I shuddered at the thought of Tanya. While we were thrown together as children, as we'd grown older, she really wasn't my choice of company. A stunner for sure, but she was self-centred and all about material things. The most off-putting thing about Tanya Denali for me was that she had no depth. Even though she had chosen to go into law, I felt it was more for what it could give her rather than what she could give back. If she was going to turn up on my doorstep, at least I was a little prepared thanks to mum's heads up.

I decided to ring Seth rather than email him. I needed to know how he felt things were over in Paris and what the fuck Bella was being so coy about.

"Seth Clearwater," he answered after just two rings.

"Seth, it's Edward, I need some information about Paris. Can you come over or can we talk on the phone?"

"Well, hello to you, Mr. Cullen, how are you this fine day?" Seth quipped brightly.

"What's the matter with you, Clearwater? This is important! Can you please be serious for the next few minutes?"

"You really are a miserable bastard, do you know that? I can't understand what the lovely Miss Swan sees in you at all. So, are you pining, Edward? Come on, mate, tell me how wretched you really are and I'll tell you how good she looks."

"For fucks sake, Seth, I've seen her just this morning via video conference, I know how she looks. She also haunts my dreams, remember? Now, are you coming over?"

"Now is better for me. What's up?"

"What sort of vibe did you get in the office at Nathalie's? Any sign of trouble?"

"Well, I didn't really pay much attention to the goings on since I was too busy. Did Bella tell you she isn't happy with me?"

"No, she told me nothing; in fact, she told me to talk to you. Have you upset her? I swear, Seth, if you tried anything, I'll kick your arse."

"Like you could even try, but no, I didn't put the moves on Bella. She made it quite clear when I got there that she was still into you. Why, I've yet to work out. No, I got me a sexy French chick, Cullen. I'm all loved up and looking to go back for more as soon as I can free up some time in my schedule."

"I'm glad you got laid and all the rest, Seth, but I'm really worried about Bella's safety. She's closed down the rat hole in the bank accounts and whoever has been bleeding the company is sure to be pissed when they find their supply is cut off. Anything you can give me here would be good."

"Okay, let me think, Nat mentioned..."

"Nat?" I shot back at him.

"Yes, Nat, the lovely Ms. Oberlauge, she was worried about someone or other, said they were getting too big for their own boots. Let me think now if I can recall the names." He went quiet for a moment.

"Please tell me Nathalie is not the sexy French chick you referred to?"

"Why, are you jealous?"

"Hell no, I just thought you had more sense and better taste. She must be forty if she's day."

"She's actually forty-six, and age is nothing but a number. She's a lovely woman and we just clicked. I like her and she likes me. Got a problem with that?"

"No, no problem, each to their own I suppose. So, any names spring to mind?" My mind swirled with thoughts of my friend getting it on with the woman who until a few weeks ago was chasing my arse all over Paris. Better him than me.

"Just leave it with me. I'll have a think and get back to you. Do you really think Bella's in danger?"

"I have no idea. I hope not, but I can't be sure. Let me know as soon as you come up with a name."

We said brief goodbyes and I got on. The first thing I needed to do was give Jessica a heads up about Tanya Denali. If I could head that one off at the pass, I would be grateful.

I headed out to the reception desk and leaned on it casually while Jess finished on the phone.

"Jess, I may get a call from a Tanya Denali. She'll want to be put through to me or schedule a lunch meeting. Get rid of her, please. I'm busy or in court and my calendar is booked up for weeks. Thank you."

"No worries, Edward. Is she an ex or just someone you need to avoid?"

"She's neither, actually; not that it's any of your business. Will you let me know if she calls? I doubt she'll just turn up, but if she does, will you let the desk downstairs know, too?"

"Consider it done."

"Thank you…oh, and if Seth Clearwater calls, please put him though no matter what."

I headed back inside and got my head down. Thankfully, it was a quiet time in my usually chaotic schedule. All the court dates were weeks away and I was bang up to date with all the cases. I had even had time to skim Bella's outstanding cases. No work there as she was still keeping her eye on things, even from Paris.

I startled a little when my phone's message alert pinged. My stomach dropped when I read the message from Seth.

_**Volturi brothers ring any bells?**_

_**They're who Nat is worried about.**_

Shit, those two were trouble with a capital "T." Nathalie had told me previously that she thought they might have been linked to an organised crime family in Italy where they were from. If it was those two who had been skimming the funds and they did have links to the Italian mafia, Bella was definitely in trouble. Her life could be in real danger, as people like that would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, including revenge.

With me being here, I was powerless to do anything about it. Or was I?

**BELLA**

I slept like the dead when I finally headed off to bed in the early hours. Sure, I was a little gutted that Edward and I didn't get to talk, but I was confident there would be other times.

At Nathalie's office, things were tense to say the least. Rumours had spread, not all true I might add, and eyes followed me, Nathalie, and Gerald wherever we went. As I left the office yesterday, I could feel someone watching me intensely, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Someone was definitely watching me outside of the office now, too, but whom?

Nathalie still refused to take the new passwords, believing it safer and one less person to be concerned about. Shut safely in my office this morning, I was in the middle of penning an email to Edward when a sharp knock on my door stopped me dead.

"Come in," I called lightly.

My heart sank when I saw my two least favourite men here at Nathalie's, Aro and Caius Volturi. Aro was the director of business and his weasel of a brother, Caius, was director of marketing. Why on earth Nathalie ever gave them those positions beat me. From what I had seen, neither did a stroke of work. Both had right-hand men, or a right-hand woman in Aro's case, to do their jobs for them. They seemed to come and go as they pleased, had nothing of any value to say when they were here, and neither seemed to know the slightest bit about importing and exporting luxury art.

They walked slowly into my office and closed the door behind them. I couldn't help but to swallow hard.

"Miss Swan, it seems my brother and I are being kept out of the loop so to speak since you arrived here at Nathalie's. We wanted to look at the books, compare this year's trading figures to last, but our access has been denied. Can you explain why?" Aro spoke slowly in his thick Italian accent.

I swallowed another huge lump now sitting firmly in the base of my throat.

"Gentlemen, please take a seat and I'll explain." I hoped to get a few extra seconds to pull myself together. "Due to some questionable activity, all the security passwords have been changed. They're now issued on a need-to-know basis only. I'm sorry, but you two are not deemed on that list at this time."

"Not deemed? NOT DEEMED?" Caius raged at me.

My door opened suddenly and I was more than a little relieved to see Nathalie and her security man step inside. She talked to the two brothers in fast fluent French and I struggled to keep up.

"I apologise, Miss Swan, if I lost my temper. It's just that we've been with Nathalie for so long now and I find it rather insulting to be excluded. Nathalie's late husband, Marcus, was our cousin and a great friend."

I nodded but did not speak again. Nathalie took a seat while Henri, her bodyguard, stood watchfully at the door with his huge arms folded. He winked at me when I glanced over at him.

"So, Bella, I think we need to explain to these two gentlemen what you've unveiled here at Nathalie's."

They both looked on, waiting for me to speak. I cleared my throat and started. They seemed a little on edge, both of them fidgeting in their chairs when I mentioned the missing millions. They nodded reluctantly when I explained why I had changed all the security surrounding the accounts and bank details. It looked at one point as if Aro was going to argue, but a discrete elbow in his side from his brother kept him quiet.

"Is there anything else, gentlemen?" I asked hoping they were done.

"No, I think you seem to have everything under your hat, as it were. Thank you, Miss Swan. Nathalie's is lucky to have you. Nathalie, _Mon Cherie_, please do not forget that you're expected at our place for dinner tonight," Aro added before they headed out of the door. A long breath came out of my mouth once they were gone.

"Are you okay, Bella? Those two are quite intimidating, no? Marcus was always undecided about them, I think he felt loyalty with them being family, but he certainly didn't trust them. When he was alive, they didn't have so much power. I'm sorry to say they railroaded me a bit when he died. I was a mess and for a while, I took my eye off the ball here and it would appear those two took every advantage.

"When they offered to take on more responsibility, I readily accepted, thinking they would be helping me. Little did I know at the time that they would steal from me and leak details of shipments so they could be intercepted and stolen. I'm sorry to have gotten you involved in all this, Bella. I know Edward is worried about you. I could see it in his eyes during the video conferences. He's a good man, so handsome and sexy. I know you feel the same way so I have to ask, why are you here?"

Old habits died hard and I immediately started to chew on my bottom lip. Could I open up to Nathalie? Was it time to trust her with my feelings for Edward?

"Do you know that Cullen, Hale, and McCarty have a no-fraternization policy which states employees are not allowed to get involved in personal relationships?"

"No, why no friendships?" she asked shocked by the sound of her voice.

"No, not friendships, intimate relationships; Edward insisted it be included in all employees' contracts. He wanted to ensure that the firm's work was not compromised. Despite that, we went out on a date and neither of us could deny our feelings any longer. Anyway, Edward wanted to keep our relationship a secret, hide our love from everyone, but it made me feel cheap so I insisted he send me here as his replacement. The feelings haven't gone away, though, Nathalie. I still think about him all the time. I'm so in love with him and I miss him so much."

"Oh, Bella, my dear, you must go home to him, make him face up to his feelings. You're a lucky girl; he'll make a _magnifique_ lover. I can see in his eyes that he'll be an unselfish lover and think about his partner's enjoyment before his own. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I actually hoped it would be me. I wanted to be Edward's lover. Now I know I never stood a chance. I also understand why he came here so suddenly. He was running away from his feelings as well."

I just sat and looked on. Nathalie was definitely a wise woman.

The day dragged on and I was more than ready to get back to my apartment for some rest. Nathalie's guard saw that I got home safely. I thanked him and blushed bright red when he winked at me once again before taking my hand in his and dropping a kiss on it. He was a man of few words. Nathalie told me Henri did not speak English well so instead he stayed quiet. His build reminded me of Seth. He was very handsome, a fine figure of a man and I was flattered, if not more than a little intimidated by this hulk of a man that had yet to speak a word to me.

Back in the safety of my apartment, I let the relief I had been feeling inside me flow. I collapsed onto the sofa in a fit of childish giggles. I knew I was acting like a schoolgirl, but I could not help it. Right now, I should have been scared to death, worried about what Aro and his brother would try, but tonight I really didn't care. I felt carefree and light, having unloaded about Edward and me to Nathalie, and then there was Henri's winks and kiss on the back of my hand. What the fuck was that about?

Dinner eaten and the kitchen cleaned, I finally sat down for the evening. My eyes started to droop; I was tired, more mentally drained than anything I think.

In the distance, I heard the buzzer telling me someone wanted access to the building. By the time I woke myself up enough to get over to the intercom, there was no one there. Huh, they must have changed their mind.

A knock at my door two minutes later sent my blood cold. The clock told me it was late, a little before ten o'clock. Who could be calling at this time of night?

**So, any thoughts as to who has come a calling?**

**Good or bad?**

**Nasty Aro and Caius, shall we make sure they get what they deserve?**

**Until next week…**


	23. Chapter 23

**The Firm**

**So many of you have a hunch about who is knocking on Bella's door. Let's see who is right if anyone...**

**Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. It makes my day reading your comments.**

**Dollybigmomma, hugs from across the pond. You're awesome.**

**Chapter 22**

**BELLA**

Hearing the knocking on the door, I wandered over to open it without thinking it through. Fortunately, before I could reach the handle, my sense of caution kicked in, reminding me it could be anyone. It could be Aro and Caius; although, I knew in theory they should have been at home having dinner with Nathalie and their wives. They could have arranged a thug, though, someone to come here and try to kill me. It could be Henri, come back to finish what his eyes had promised for the last few days. Huh. Would I even want him to? Of course not, I loved Edward. Henri's cheeky winks were a welcome distraction from the tense atmosphere at work, but that was all.

The knock came again, now a little louder and more insistent. Oh, how I wished the door had a peephole. I put the chain on just to be safe, took a deep breath, and turned the knob, opening the door slowly. The sight I was greeted with made me burst into tears.

**EDWARD**

All I could think about was Bella in danger and I felt sick. I was no use here. I needed to do something before I went mad. Packing up my desk for the day, or possibly for the foreseeable future, I strode confidently toward Emmett's office. Luckily for me, I found both of my best friends there. They were working on a case together. They looked up as I walked in without knocking.

"Guys, I need a big favour," I sighed, sitting down in one of the empty chairs.

"What's up, Ed?" Emmett asked.

"I need you two to keep an eye on my cases for a while. Everything is up to date paperwork-wise, and there are no court dates until next month. I'll pick it all up again shortly."

"What's going on, Edward?" Jasper asked getting up and moving to stand next to Emmett.

"I'm going to Paris. I need to be there with Bella. I'm no good to anyone here worrying about her and I just have a feeling I need to be there. I fly out at half ten tonight. I should be there before she goes to bed tomorrow night."

"Have you told her you're coming?" Jasper asked.

"No, I was going to, but I think I'd like to surprise her. I was supposed to talk to her, but I put it off while I sorted out my flight. I wanted something concrete to tell her. I should never have let her go over there alone in the first place. I'm sorry I was an idiot over the no-frat policy. I ended up hurting Bella as well as myself and I could've lost the best thing to ever have happened to me. I see that now."

"It's about time you grew some balls, mate. If Seth had won her affections, you'd have only had yourself to blame. We'll sort things here. You go off like the knight in shining armour and rescue your fair maiden. Better late than never," Emmett rambled. He really thought he was funny.

Jasper shook my hand, "Go get her, big guy, we've got your back here, and don't forget to ask her about her friends."

"What friends?" Emmett interjected.

"No one you know. Okay, I'm off home to pack. I'll ring you when I get there. If she calls, cover for me, eh?"

"You bet. We'll think of something."

As I closed Emmett's office door, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. I walked swiftly towards the lifts, towards home, and my future.

**BELLA**

Edward was stood leaning on the wall at the side of my door. He looked tired and a little unkempt. With fingers and hands that wouldn't work, I struggled to open the damn chain. I wanted to fling the door open and make sure my eyes were not deceiving me and that it was really him.

When I finally got the door open, the sexy grin on his face made me cry even more. A loud sob came from deep inside me.

"Surprise!" he said standing up straight and opening his arms for me.

I launched myself at him, tears in full flow to the point I could not speak. It was so good to see him. I just wanted to hold him, to have him hold me, and to feel safe and loved.

"Hey, it was supposed to be a good surprise," he said sweetly, lifting my chin up from his chest so he could look at me. "Are you okay, Bella? Is it okay if I come in?"

Still unable to speak, I pulled him inside. His other hand dragged his luggage behind him. I closed the door and stepped back into the safety of his arms. I snuggled into his warm broad chest and it felt like I was home.

"Bella, are you going to speak to me?" he asked sounding a bit worried.

In between a series of sobs, smiles, and hugs, I nodded my head. "Soon, let me just hold you for now," I begged him quietly. "I have some hugging time to make up for." He chuckled quietly, which reverberated deep in his chest. It felt good as he pulled me closer.

Quite how long we actually stood there I had no idea. As my sobs subsided, I revelled in the feel of being in Edward's arms once again; strong and firm, yet gentle and warm as he caressed my back. Being a little more composed now, I pulled back a little to look at him. He was really quite stunning. My memories had not done him justice.

"So, Mr. Cullen, what brings you to Paris?" I asked him, moving out of his arms. "Come and sit down, do you want a drink? Or are you tired?" I rambled on a little nervous.

"Bella, I only need you, come sit here with me," he patted the seat next to him.

Slowly, I moved and sat down. I did not take my eyes off him. I noticed his eyes never left me, either. He took my hand in his and it felt wonderful as his thumb gently caressed my palm. I sighed in contentment.

"I've missed you so fucking much. I had to come, Bella, I've been so worried."

"Were you planning this when you didn't call last night?"

"I was. I hope you understand that I needed to get here as quickly as I could. I need to be with you, Bella, always."

"How long are you staying?"

"No timescales, I'm here as long as you need me to be, or as long as you want me to be."

"Okay, I like the sound of that. And by the way, I'll always want you, so I guess you're moving to Paris for a few weeks. You look done in. Are you staying here?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to. I could use a shower, it was a long flight."

I fidgeted awkwardly. Should I offer him the guest room, or just let him make his own mind up?

"I'll put you some clean towels out and leave you to it. Are you hungry? Shall I make you a snack before bed?" I could feel the blush rise in me as I said the word bed. Shit, he'd see it for sure.

"A sandwich would be good, but please don't put yourself out." I rolled my eyes at his words, but made my way towards my kitchen.

With two hot mugs of tea and a plate of sandwiches waiting on the lounge coffee table, I sat nervously and waited for him to come back. When he did, I about melted. How could he do this to me? After everything he had said before, I still ached for his touch, his lips, and most of all, his love. He was dressed in thin grey cotton sleep pants, which left little to my imagination, and a white vest. The hairs on his chest were visible, poking up over the vest's neckline. I could feel myself getting worked up at the sight of this glorious man.

"Thanks, this is great," he nodded to the food. "The shower was good, too, it's woken me up a bit, but please don't let me keep you up or anything."

"No, I'm okay, at least for now. I'm still in shock you're actually here. It's so good to see you, but I keep thinking it's all a dream and I'll wake up at any moment."

"It's not a dream, love, I'm right here." He ran his fingers carefully down my cheek and I leaned into him wanting more.

We sat quietly while he ate and I drank my tea. The silence was a little awkward and I was conscious that I was wringing my hands over and over in my lap.

"Bella, I know we have a lot to talk about, but tonight's not the right time. I'm jet-lagged and you're tired after a day at work. Do you think we can get a rain-check until tomorrow after work? I'd really like to just get some sleep."

"Oh, that's fine. I'll turn down the bed for you." I got up, but he grabbed hold of my wrist.

"I don't want to be presumptuous or anything, but would you mind if I stayed in your room?" I caught my breath both in shock at his forwardness and in anticipation of what might happen. "No, not like that, Bella, at least not tonight, I just need to hold you. I want to be close to you, sleep with you. Would that be okay? I'll be good, I promise. Anyway, I'm so tired I don't think I could even raise a smile, never mind anything else."

I chuckled a little at his admission, but I could not stop my eyes from discretely taking a peek at his crotch area just in case. "I think I'd like for you to hold me all night. In fact, that sounds heavenly."

Hand in hand, we headed for my room. I got him settled in my bed before I headed back into the bathroom to change and freshen up. No point in not being prepared. I spent a little time shaving my legs and making sure I was neat and tidy in the event that anything might…arise. I giggled at the thought. A small knock on the door brought me back to reality.

I opened it to find Edward leaned against the jamb. He always did that and I found it so sexy. I gnawed on my bottom lip as I looked at him.

"Are you planning on staying in there all night? I hope not because I'm beat and I can't promise to stay awake much longer. I'd like to kiss you goodnight and have you in my arms before that happens."

I followed him back to my room, letting him lead and held on to his hand, not wanting to break our contact. We crawled back under the covers and I snuggled down on his chest.

"Thank you for coming, Edward. I've been pretty scared since I uncovered the missing money. I feel so much better now that you're here."

"I want to be here, never doubt that, Bella. Now, about that kiss..."

His mouth descended and I was lost in the bliss of his lips and his tongue. My arms snaked around his body, touching and feeling, reminding myself how good he felt. When my hands found purchase in his hair, I pulled him closer, kissing him with everything I had. He eventually pulled away, looking down at me with that sexy grin written all over his face.

"I love you so much. I'd die if anything happened to you. I couldn't let that happen, so here I am. You're pretty much stuck with me now," he dropped a kiss onto the tip of my nose.

"I think I like the sound of that, Mr. Cullen. Oh, and I love you, too, more than I could ever say. Get some sleep; we have plenty of time to catch up tomorrow and the day after that."

"We do. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, Edward."

~*TF*~

My alarm was silenced before I could even react to it. Edward groaned as he turned over to face me. His hair was all over, making him look like he had just had hot passionate sex. I tried to hide a smirk, but it didn't work.

"What?" he asked pulling me closer.

"Nothing really, it's just you've got sex hair."

"Sex hair? What the hell is sex hair?"

"You know, what hair looks like after you've just had really hot sex."

"They gave it a name? And have you had much experience with sex hair, Miss Swan?" he asked as I suddenly found myself under him.

"No, I just get the impression your hair is what sex hair looks like." I was silenced with a bruising kiss.

"I'm not jet-lagged anymore, Bella. What time do you need to be at work?" he asked pressing his body firmly against mine. Oh my...well, it seemed Edward was an early _riser _in _every_ way…

**I loved writing this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Until next time...**


	24. Chapter 24

**The Firm **

**So is Bella going to give in to Edward's morning wood or will she resist? I know I couldn't...just saying.**

**Thanks to everyone who continues to support this story. You humble me, you really do. And by the way hello and welcome to all the new readers. Hope you enjoy the ride.**

**Dollybigmomma, you own me, girl. Thanks and much love from across the pond.**

**Chapter 23**

**BELLA**

I could feel the blush rising up my whole body as well as the tingles in my lady parts. Being this close to Edward and his morning wood were seriously disrupting my usual morning routine.

"Before you can do any damage with that," I gestured in the general direction of his erection, "Let me up, I need to get ready." I pulled free from his arms as he groaned and rolled over.

"Spoilsport, I hope you know it'd be good damage," he called to me as I made my way to the bathroom.

I could not resist looking back at him, though; one, to make sure he was really there, and two, just to ogle how mighty fine he looked in my bed.

Wrapped only in a huge fluffy towel after my shower, I made my way back into my room. I needed clothes. Edward was sat up in my bed, his eyes were closed and his hands were clasped behind head. Somewhere between me going for a shower and coming back, he had lost his vest top and now he was bare-chested and looking good enough to eat. I swallowed hard and tried to ignore him. I saw the smirk on his face and realised he knew I was taking in the view.

"Sure I can't tempt you back to bed for a bit?" he asked in the most provocative way.

"No time, sorry, I need to be ready to leave in thirty minutes, and when I do next go to bed with you, Edward Cullen, I assure you thirty minutes will not be anywhere near long enough for what I have planned."

I heard rather than saw him gasp as I continued to get ready, happy for once that it was my turn to shock him.

"Are you coming to the office with me?" I asked casually.

"Of course."

"Then I suggest you get that delectable arse out of my bed and into the shower, the driver will be here at seven thirty on the dot."

Grumbling, he made his way into the bathroom. I watched him, taking in the view from the mirror. I did not want to be too obvious. It would do me no good licking his reflection in my mirror. While he was in there, I wanted to scream and do somersaults. I had slept with Edward all night, my head resting on his chest. Our hands and legs had entwined and it felt fucking great. I hadn't slept that well in an age. And this morning when I'd woken to his impressive wood, well, I would certainly look forward to getting better acquainted with that at a later date.

He walked past me in black Armani boxers and I melted a little more. The bastard, he knew exactly what he was doing to me. I licked my lips and had to reapply the subtle lip gloss I had just licked off. He laughed a belly-rumbling laugh when he saw me do it.

"Bastard," I mumbled to myself once again.

Henri arrived right on time as usual. I introduced Edward to him and he did not show any kind of reaction. Edward explained that they had met before. I could not get a read on Henri this morning, but I knew for definite that there was no usual wink.

When we arrived, Nathalie was not in. Her secretary, Virginie, told me she would be in later around ten o'clock. Edward made himself comfortable in my office and we got to work.

"Anything you'd like me to take care of specifically?" he asked, making it sound like a downright proposition. A familiar throb started in my lady parts.

"Edward, you need to behave, at least here at work." He came over and took my hand in his, his thumb doing that thing to my palm. He had me like jelly in seconds. "Stop it," I swatted his hand away just as he dropped an open-mouthed kiss on my neck, just behind my ear. God, his lips felt so good and I let out a small moan.

"Why? Don't you like it?" he asked, not moving his lips from my skin.

"I do, but there's a time and place, and after all the trouble with your no-frat policy, you should know to be better behaved."

"I can't help it round you, Bella. You make me do things, feel things that make my usual rationale fly out the window. I want to make love to you, Bella, so badly." His eyes were smouldering with lust and I gulped, trying my best to control my own feelings.

"Edward, please, we need to get some things sorted before there's any sex. I think we know how much we both want a physical relationship, but after what happened in Seattle, I'm not going to just forget about how you treated me and fuck you anyway. I want to, believe me I really do, but I won't, I'm better than that. And if I try really hard, I can control my more base instincts."

Standing in front of me now, he lifted my chin up and looked me straight in the eye.

"I know you are." I looked down, embarrassed to be having this discussion here in my office. His hands moved once again to lift up my chin. "Bella, I love you, please remember that. It's more than sex, I think we both know that, and I know I have some explaining to do, and some making up to do as well. I'll do whatever it takes. I'm in this for the long haul."

He paused now, as if he was considering what to say next. "So, you want to fuck me do you, Ms. Swan?" he lightened the mood and I blushed scarlet. "I think that can be arranged a little later, but first I'd like us to make sure we're both on the same page, and then I'd like to make love to you. After that, you can fuck me all you want. How does that sound?"

My door opened before I could answer him and I automatically moved out of his arms. Gerald stopped short of coming into the office, mumbling an apology and started to leave, but I stopped him.

"Gerald, come in, please. You've met Edward before, haven't you?" I gestured towards a very smug-looking Edward.

"Gerald, do come in and sit down," Edward requested.

The little timid Frenchman did as he was told. He looked nervous again.

"Is everything okay, Gerald? You seem a little worried," I asked sitting down.

"Oh...Ms. Swan, someone has been trying to hack into the bank accounts. I set up an alert to tell me if anyone other than you or I tried to gain access. Last night on three separate occasions, the wrong passwords were used." The poor man looked visibly sick.

"Is everything still secure?" Edward asked going straight into control mode.

"Oui, oui, Monsieur, Ms. Swan and I set up passwords that are quite secure, at least for now."

I nodded, letting Edward know what Gerald was saying was true. When he left, Edward was straight on the phone. He spoke in fluent French and just like that, I was wet and craving friction. He sounded so sexy speaking French, and like an idiot, I just sat and listened intently, all googly-eyed while I worried my bottom lip to death.

"Stop that, Bella, you're driving me crazy," his comment brought me back from my X-rated fantasy.

"Sorry, I was a little distracted there. I didn't realise you spoke such fluent French. It sounded..."

"Yeah, I think I get how it sounded to you by the look on your face. I'll do it some more later, if you're good," he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "Now, someone trying to hack in is not good. They're almost throwing down a challenge. I think I came here at just the right time. You're not safe alone here, Bella. Nathalie's team are not used to this level of security being required. I've just arranged for Henri to pick his seven best men for more training. They'll leave later and will be back late tomorrow night. Between now and then, you don't leave my sight, not even in the apartment. We live, eat, sleep, shower, and breathe together, do you understand?"

I nodded my head, but I could not resist teasing him a bit. "Now you choose to become all masterful on me." He rolled his eyes at me, but carried on scrolling through his emails.

Nathalie breezed into my office all smiles. Virginie had obviously told her about Edward being here.

"_Edward_, _Mon Cherie, comment allez-vous__?"_

"_Bonjour, Nathalie, tres bien, merci!_" There he went again speaking French…

"Bella, Gerald tells me someone tried to hack into the bank accounts. I can tell you that Aro and Caius were with me at dinner until well after midnight. Gerald says the times were earlier in the evening. It's not them."

The rest of the day went by in a bit of a blur. Edward spent nearly all his time on the phone barking out orders in both English and French, or sending emails to god knows where. Occasionally, he seemed to realise he had neglected me and dropped a kiss on my lips or nose, or squeezed my hand.

Unbeknownst to me, Edward had arranged for us to have a car drive us to and from work until Nathalie's security detail was up to his exacting standards. I grumbled as he led us out at the end of the day.

Nathalie had told us to enjoy our evening with a snigger and a wiggle of her eyebrows. What was it with people wiggling their eyebrows?

"What do you want to eat?" I asked him as we entered the apartment.

"Apart from you, I'm not bothered." My lady parts tingled once more as I tried to ignore the growing tension in the air. "Bella, leave the food, we'll get something delivered later. Right now I want us to sit down and talk, not only about us, but about work, too. Let's bump heads and see if we can come up with any new ideas. Let's load up the laptops and compare what we've got. Then we'll talk about us, get things between us sorted if that's possible." He patted the seat next to him and I reluctantly sat down.

Everything we had between us still pointed to the Volturi brothers. The timing of when I thought the embezzlement had started matched up to Edward's theory that they were involved in something very shady.

"If the brothers were at home and Nathalie was there as a witness, then how could it be them hacking into the bank accounts?"

"I'm pretty sure they both have people doing the actually dirty work for them, Bella. Those two will just reap the rewards. Both of them have their own PA's, both of whom I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them. Jane Davis is as sly as they come and ruthless by all accounts. She makes even my skin crawl when she looks at me, like I'm something to eat," Edward shuddered.

"Yeah, and Alec Binns isn't much better," I agreed.

"So first thing tomorrow, we need to get Henri's best guy on finding out what they can about Jane and Alec. I already know that Jane is a computer whiz; she told me all about what she could do when I was here before. I'm pretty sure she'd know how to hack into files or at least know someone that could.

"We need to change the passwords regularly so we aren't caught out. I'm not asking for you tell me the passwords, but in my opinion, a series of numbers in a sequence of more than eight is the most secure. What do you think?"

"Gerald told me that already. We set them to nine, followed by another five. Apparently, even numbers are more common so we thought going with nine would maybe buy us a little more time. The second set of digits was for added security. I just hope they hold until we can figure this out," I agreed.

"Okay, so are we confident the passwords are secure for now?"

"I think they're as safe as they can be," I told him honestly.

"Right, then tomorrow we'll make Henri more responsible as he's head of security. They need to take some of the load off. We're here to see this through to the end result, not cover the whole investigation. I'll speak to Nathalie and Henri tomorrow."

I got up and wandered into the kitchen. I stood at the sink and ran the tap, wanting a drink of cold water. His arms snaked around my waist and his lips nuzzled into the back of my neck. It felt heavenly.

"Hi," I whispered quietly.

"Hello, beautiful, I've missed you so much." His arms pulled me closer and he left open-mouthed kisses along the side of my jaw. "I've been an idiot and I'd love for you to give me the opportunity to prove to you that I love you with all my heart. I'm so sorry for the hurt I caused us both by being pig-headed. I'm stubborn and the biggest fool for letting my pride get in the way of our happiness. These feelings had me running scared. Come sit down and let's talk properly."

He pulled me by the hand back to sofa and sat us down close, our knees touching as we faced each other.

"So, do you still want an us?" he asked sounding a bit worried, although I didn't know why.

"Of course I do, Edward, I never wanted anything else."

"Good, so at least we're on the same page there. I'm truly sorry for saying what I did. I was scared and a coward, and yes, looking back now, I was hiding behind the no-fraternization policy. It gave me a shield, or so I thought. I know now I was wrong. I never meant to cheapen your feelings for me, or mine for you. Jasper and Emmett made me realise I'd done just that and for that I'm truly sorry. No one would blame you if you told me to fuck off and you found someone else."

I stopped him then, this self-pity was all wrong.

"Edward, stop it. Yes, you hurt me, a lot. I think you hurt yourself, too, and maybe it's taken this time apart to make you see how you really feel. There's not now, nor will there ever be, anyone else. Seth tried, but he wasn't an option. Henri has flirted a little while I've been here, but he hardly speaks. And even though I was flattered by his attention…" I started, but his whole demeanour changed.

"What do you mean you were flattered by Henri's attention? What the fuck has he done?" he asked between gritted teeth.

"He just smiled at me, winked when he saw me, and kissed my hand. He made me feel like I was worthy of male attention. Nothing happened or would've happened. I love you. I don't cheat, even if we're not formally together. Okay?"

"If you say so." He was sulking now.

"Grow up, Edward, for god sakes. Those things you said back in Seattle were like a slap in the face and a huge bruise to my female ego. It was 'Yeah, I want you, but not in public.' How cheap and lacking do you think that made me feel?"

"I know, and I've said I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say, Bella. I want you to give me the opportunity to prove to you that I'm telling you the truth. I want us to work, more than anything."

"Well, you have no right to act like a jealous boyfriend right now, Edward. You lost all rights to acting like that when you said what you did. This is hardly sorting things out, is it? Do you have anything else you'd like to say?"

"Yes, plenty, but for now…" he paused for a fraction of a minute, "I love you, Isabella Swan, and I'd ask that you find it in your heart to forgive me for my stupidity back in Seattle and give me a chance to prove to you that we can make this relationship work, that we can be together as boyfriend, girlfriend, lovers, whatever. I just want you with me, out in the open, no more hiding. Can you please forgive me?"

I could see in his eyes the sincerity of his words. He was bearing his heart and soul to me. I could see he regretted his decision and words from weeks ago. I also knew it before, from his words and face the day before I left, but being stubborn and hurt, I needed to know he wanted this enough to fight for me, for us. I needed for him to come here to Paris and fight for me, prove himself worthy of my love. Little did I know he would come to make me feel safe as well as fight for me.

My heart melted, not only from his words, but the intensity of his stare. He looked frightened; worried I was going to reject his apology. How could he worry so when I had told him over and over how I felt? For such a successful, handsome man, he was so insecure. Like me, he'd never had a relationship like this before. I couldn't help but wonder if either of us could handle it.

"I love you, Edward Cullen. Even when I hated what you said and how easily you threw me away, I loved you. I came here for some space, for me and for you. I missed you every day and I never really considered Henri as an option. I don't know that he's even interested, a few smiles and the odd wink really doesn't really mean anything. Anyway, it doesn't matter because I don't want him, or Seth, or anyone else for that matter. It's you, Edward, it's always been you."

He moved before I could react, his lips on mine in a flash. When I opened up to him, he moaned and I could not help pulling him closer and lying us down on my all-too-small settee. Our kisses were hot and passionate and soon turned serious and needy. Hands and fingers explored and our clothes started to disappear.

Pulling back from me, he looked into my eyes and asked with a little uncertainty, "Bedroom?"

"Yes, please," was all I could say.

**So, the next chapter is likely to be pretty hot. **

**The more reviews, the faster I update.**


	25. Chapter 25

**The Firm**

**Reviews are like new chapters, the more you get, the more you want to read.**

**Hello, waves to the new readers and those of you who continue to review each and every chapter. Thank you. **

**Thank you, Dollybigmomma, as beta.**

**Stephenie Meyer created these characters, thank god.**

**Chapter 24**

**Edward**

I was in heaven.

I couldn't believe how fast things had gotten steamy between Bella and me. When she agreed to move our activities to the bedroom, I about did a victory dance with my hands above my head. Sweeping her up into my arms bridal-style, I walked us slowly toward her bed. My lips never left her skin, her soft moans of encouragement all I needed to continue.

Dressed now in only our underwear, I placed her gently in the middle of the bed, crawling in after her. She looked...spectacular. She was laid out before me, sporting a matching bra and panty set in a rich russet colour. The delicate lace edging and the subtly sexy cut made it obvious they were expensive and meant to seduce. I was in my usual Armani boxers this time and pitching a tent the size of the Eiffel Tower, which seemed appropriate seeing as we were in Paris. I longed to grind into her and let her know how much she affected me.

"Bella, love, you feel so good; I want you so bad right now, but I think we need to slow down, take stock."

She stiffened beside me at my words and pushed up onto her elbows to look at me.

"We're on the bed, both nearly naked, and you want to slow down and take stock? Edward, could you embarrass a girl any more by saying something like that at a time like this?" Sitting up properly now, she pulled her knees up to her chin and buried her head in her hands.

"Love, I don't want to stop, believe me." I pulled one of her hands gently from her face and moved it onto my erection, showing her my need. "I just think after our talk, we should take things slow. We both obviously want us to work and I think we also know that sex is only a part of this," I motioned between us.

Her hand did not leave my dick, she slowly but deliberately rubbed me up and down through my boxers. It feels so fucking good I could have come in a flash. I tried to control my breathing as well as the desperate need to thrust into her hand. She looked at me shyly while remaining huddled, protecting herself almost.

"I love you so fucking much, I hope you know that. Last night sleeping with you beside me has to be one of the best nights of my life. I want to do it every night," I told her sincerely, taking the opportunity to caress her cheek.

"I love you, too, Edward, desperately, and I know you're right about taking things slowly, but I just want you so badly I actually ache for your touch. Does that make me sound cheap?"

I laughed at her question. "Bella, you could never be cheap, you have more class in your little finger than most women ever dream of having. I think we both need and want each other the same, so how about we start by learning about what the other likes? It'll be fun and sexy, and I think it'll give us both a little bit of light relief, if you know what I mean," I winked at her now and moved a little closer.

"So, you're not averse to doing some things, just not actual intercourse?" she grinned back at me as I lay down at her side.

"I think we should just go with what feels right for now. No rules; just do what feels right. How does that sound?"

"Can I get you naked?"

"You can. Right now?" I started to move to take off my boxers, but she stopped me.

"Not now. Can I touch you?"

"Yes," I breathed out quietly, anticipating her hands all over my body.

She pushed me over until I was flat on my back. Slowly, she moved astride me, still dressed in the fuck-hot bra and panties. Her hot centre was situated right over my throbbing hard-on and it took all that I was to not lose control. Leaning forward, she kissed me gently at first before holding my face between her hands and deepening the kiss until my toes curled.

When she ground her hot wet centre onto my dick that was already throbbing for release, I could not resist pushing her down harder. I needed the friction and the heat of her was just fucking amazing. I groaned loudly and she laughed.

"Feels good doesn't it, Mr. Cullen." She gyrated her hips even more, accentuating her words.

"Good nowhere near covers it, Ms. Swan. Fuck, that feels amazing." I thrust up into her panty-covered centre a little more, earning a deep moan from her.

"Edward, I want to be naked with you like this. I know we won't be able to do this with me naked right now, though, because I know I won't be able to stop myself from sliding you inside me."

I grunted at her words, but I did as she asked and slid out of my boxers as quickly as I could. Bella leaned back and looked like she was admiring my form, her eyes darting up and down my body. They lingered on my very hard, very erect dick; the pre-cum pooled when I saw her lick her lips. Shit, I about blew my load right there and then.

Her eyes were smouldering, on fire almost with lust. God, I wanted to make love to this woman so bad it hurt, but I also wanted to do this right. Gone were the days of casual sex and meaningless hook-ups. This woman made me want things I'd never even considered an option for me.

She reached up to remove her bra, but I stopped her. "Let me, baby, I want to unwrap you like a Christmas present." I dropped a small kiss on each of her shoulders as now it was my turn to sit up and stare.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I kissed my way along her shoulder blades until I reached her bra straps. My tongue flicked out and licked her skin, making her moan. She liked it. The bra was off in no time and I took a few seconds to admire her breasts. Not overly big, certainly not fake, but pert and full, just perfect in my opinion. She blushed when she realised I was taking her in and looked down a little shyly.

"Hey," I lifted her chin so she was looking right at me, "You're perfect in every way, perfect for me. Please don't be embarrassed to be naked in front of me. You can already see what you do to me, love. You're quite magnificent." I dropped tiny kisses all over her naked torso as I made my way down her body so I could remove her panties.

She squirmed and small moans escaped her mouth as I continued to work her, my hands kneading and caressing as I got closer and closer to the Promised Land. Her responses to me drove me mad. I knew for sure she had little experience; fuck, I didn't even know if she was virgin. I really need to take care of her.

Her legs and bottom lifted so I could remove her panties. She had a tiny neat triangle of hair and I longed to bury myself neck deep in it. I was glad she wasn't bare. I liked my women to be womanly, not childlike. Now it was my turn to moan at the sight before me.

"Bella, you're exquisite." I quickly made my way back up to her face and kissed her like my life depended on it. "I love you, please never doubt that. Tell me what you like and it's yours. I want to give you the pleasure you give me just from looking at you. Please, baby, tell me what you want me to do."

"You make me feel things I've never felt before, Edward. I have practically zero experience in this."

"Are you telling me you've never slept with anyone before, love?" I asked her quietly.

"Not slept, no, other than you last night. I mean I'm not a virgin, but the grand total of my experience is a quick fumble in the back of a car, and I never had an orgasm during sex, either. I usually take care of those myself," she blushed and looked down again.

Lifting her chin up once again, I asked her., "So, do you have toys or do you use your fingers?" I ran my fingers up and down her naked arms, excited to hear her answer.

"Do we have to have this discussion right now?" she sounded mortified.

"Not if you don't want to, but I'd really like to know and I'd like you to tell me what you like so that I can help you enjoy it. I find it kind of hot that you're responsible for your own orgasms. But know this; from now on, I intend to be the one that takes over that role, understand?" I growled and kissed her passionately.

"Touch me, Edward, just touch me anywhere and everywhere, please," she begged.

Those words were like all the words I had ever wanted to hear, all rolled into one sentence. Her responses to my touch hit home hard. I really did love this girl and she loved me back. Her quiet moans of pleasure and her gentle thrusts drove me insane. My hard-on was pulsing for some action and just when I thought I would burst, she touched me and burst I did; like a thirteen-year-old schoolboy, all over her hand and both our stomachs.

"Shit, Bella, I'm so sorry." I buried my face in her hair, embarrassed as hell.

"Edward Cullen, do not dare be embarrassed. You've just talked me through what could've been the most embarrassing conversation ever; you were sweet and adorable and I love you for it. So please, don't go all shy on me when you come unexpectedly because I touched you. Like you said before, it's kind of hot."

She killed me even more then by swirling her finger in the cum that was all over my stomach. It looked and felt like she was exploring it. I let her do it, fascinated by her fascination with my jizz. My hands took on an exploration of their own and soon she was writhing and moaning by my side as I kneaded and kissed her breasts.

"You have fantastic tits," I told her honestly.

Making sure I paid the same attention to both breasts, I kissed one as I kneaded the other. Her nipples pebbled at my touch and I loved how she reacted to me. I slowly made my way south, watching her to see her reactions. She was flushed because she was turned on, but her eyes carried a little worry in them when she realised where my hands were headed.

"Just relax, baby, I want to give you something, something you've given me over and over. Let me please you."

She nodded, but did not relax fully. She was worried about what was going to happen and letting go. I wanted her to let go, I wanted to hear her scream my name when she came. I wanted to see her come undone. My fingers found her wet and eager for me. I caught my breath when she bucked into my hand.

"Fuck, Bella," was all I could say as I slipped my index finger between her wet folds and inside her.

Her resulting moans and thrusting drove me on. My thumb found her clit and I tentatively rubbed it. Her hand grabbed my hand hard and she pushed me into her, encouraging me to go harder, faster, and deeper. She was going to be a goddess, a tiger in bed once she was a little more confident, and fuck, she was all mine. I was hard again and leaking against her. I was already conscious that my previous load was now drying and leaving a sticky mess all over both of us and the bed. She didn't seem to care about being up close and personal to my jizz. Good thing to note for the future.

"Does that feel good, baby? Do you want me to keep going until you come?"

Her answer was to kiss the shit out of me, her tongue dominant in my mouth. It felt fucking incredible and I continued to finger fuck her hard and deep. Her body rode my fingers and her resulting moans drove me to distraction. How I wished it was my cock. I shuddered at the thought of how hot, wet, and tight she would feel around my cock when we got to that stage.

I could tell she was close as her breaths were now coming in short spurts and she was suddenly even wetter than she had been before. Her muscles tightened around my fingers and she cried out my name in a sort of moan-like sigh. I could not stop myself from grinding my throbbing hard-on into her thigh. I was close, too, and she hadn't even touched me.

"Bella, love, I need you to..."

No more words were needed as I felt her clench even tighter around my fingers and she screamed out my name in ecstasy. She bucked and writhed against my fingers until she was done. It was all I needed to empty my seed against her leg.

"Sorry, love, I couldn't hold off. Here, I'll get something to clean you up." I moved away slightly, not wanting her to be even more covered in my jizz.

"Edward, it's fine, really. I like it. It makes me feel close to you. We'll have a shower in a little while if you like." She snuggled closer to me and sighed.

"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I?" I asked, a little worried by that sigh.

"No, silly, I can't think of anything more perfect...well, I probably could, but maybe we need to work our way up to that," she giggled and I felt a massive rush of relief as I pulled her closer.

"I love you, Isabella Swan. I feel like I've known you all my life. I want to be with you, mind, body, and soul."

"Good, because that's exactly what I want, too. I love you more than I ever thought possible, Edward, and what I've just felt, well, there really are no words to describe just how perfect that was. I'm so glad I waited for you to be the one to share that with."

We snuggled closer, wrapped in each other's arms. I felt like I had found my home at last.

**See, they're being sensible, taking things slowly. Bella was never going to just have full-on sex with him. She wants a real relationship and needs Edward to prove to her that that's what he wants, too. Progress, though, and hot... Hope you liked it.**

**Updates may be a little more erratic during December, sorry. RL yeah know.**

**Until next time…**


	26. Chapter 26

**The Firm**

**So, things are really heating up in every sense of the word. Hope you enjoyed the little bit of lemon zest in the last chapter. From the reviews, I sense you all did.**

**Welcome to all the new readers and thanks to those who keep spreading the word.**

**Once again, thanks much to my beta, Dollybigmomma, for all her support. I really appreciate your kind words and continued following.**

**SM owns it all.**

**Chapter 25**

**BELLA**

Wow.

That was all that was in my head right now…wow. I replayed the night in Edward's arms over and over and sighed quietly, not wanting to wake the man of the moment.

Our closeness last night had been wonderful, sexy and more than I could ever have imagined. But a release was not what this was all about. This was about so much more than getting off. I mean sure, I did, a number of times, actually, and it was like heaven and the stars all rolled into one. What made it so incredible was that I knew Edward felt the same, and while I knew it had meant a lot, it was nothing compared to the emotions involved. This was about us, our relationship, getting to know each other, loving each other. Shit, when the time came for us to complete the deed in the true sense of the word, I knew the world would stop on its axis for a while.

I turned onto my side now and looked at him. He was beautiful; everything about him drew me to him. His looks, his voice, his scent, but it was so much more than that. I felt like we were part of each other; he moved, I moved. His breathing changed, telling me he was waking up. I continued to gaze at him until his eyes flickered open and he smiled at me.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said quietly, taking my hand in his and squeezing it gently before doing that thing he always did in the palm of my hand.

Shit, I was in a puddle right now, he drove me crazy and I wanted him so badly.

"Good morning to you, too, sleep well?" I asked trying to sound casual, but really trying to mask the fact that I wanted to jump his bones.

"Well, considering what we did last night, I was pretty drained, physically and mentally. But then again, I've been drained since I first set eyes on you. So yes, Ms. Swan, I slept like the fucking dead. Thank you."

"Thank you?" I asked, a little unsure just what he was thanking me for.

"Yes, thank you for helping me to have a decent nights' sleep. It's been a while; well, apart from the other night here with you. It's so nice to be close to you. And thank you for letting me stay and sleep here with you like this."

He leaned over and cradled my cheeks in his hands and kissed me slowly. I did not even consider the fact that we both had morning breath.

"Time to get up," I told him, trying to shift out of his arms. He groaned.

"Five more minutes, please, love? I want to hold you like this while I'm awake. I promise I'll be good."

"You, Mr. Cullen, do not know the meaning of the word good, not in that context, anyway. Move over a bit then and let me get back in where it's still warm."

We grumbled and fidgeted, both trying to fight for the warmest place in the huge bed. It was nice, comfortable, and we soon settled down into a cozy snuggle. I could feel his lips pressing into my hair, it felt wonderful and I wished we had the time to stay here like this all day. Unfortunately, we did not and the office and meetings called to me loud and clear.

We finally managed to pull ourselves together a while later after another too-short make-out session and headed off. At the office, things were already in full swing when Edward and walked in a little after nine o'clock, hand in hand. Eyebrows were raised as people glanced first at their watches and then at our joined hands. I had never arrived after eight o'clock. Today, my companion had kept me in bed a little longer than I had anticipated.

Ignoring the stares and sniggers, I continued towards my office, dragging a more-than-willing Edward along with me. Nathalie was already there, sitting patiently and waiting for us. She was reading what looked to be some sort of report.

"Good morning, Nathalie," I greeted brightly.

She looked up, putting the papers on the desk. "Bonjour, Bella, Edward. I trust you're both well rested?" Her polite enquiry made me squirm at her inference. Her eyes drifted slowly to our still-joined hands and a wry smile crossed her face. Edward merely told her we were well and winked at me, adding to her delight and my mortification. I could feel the blush before it actually reached my cheeks. God only knew what she thought. Well, I was pretty sure I knew what she was thinking.

The day dragged, with endless meeting after meeting and I was more than a little irritable. People came and went all over the office, keeping up a commotion. Edward had left, as Henri had picked him up earlier. They were meeting with the new security team. Edward had been serious when he had said that he wanted Nathalie's team to take over. He was making sure they knew the protocols and was giving them a clear understanding of their objectives.

Nathalie stayed with me at the office. Lately, she had seemed distracted and distant. I could not determine whether it was because she was worried about events here or if she was thinking about her and Seth, especially now that Edward was here and touching or kissing me at every opportunity.

We had agreed to disagree about PDA. Edward, I had come to realise, was much more tactile than I had thought. The Cullen, Hale, and McCarty no-fraternization policy had made it to where I had not seen the real Edward. Here in Paris, Edward loved nothing more than to show copious amounts of PDA. He loved to hold my hand and touch my back when we walked, if we weren't already holding hands, of course. And then he liked to kiss me. A lot. So did I, but at work, in public? Now it was my turn to feel a little overwhelmed by it all.

With the new policy in place now and our open declarations of "being in love with one another" having been made, he thought it only natural to want to show that to the whole world. I was still trying to come to terms with that side of Edward. I missed him, though, when he wasn't around. I liked him being here and close. It made me feel safe and loved. Jane, Aro's PA, was due in my office within the next ten minutes for a meeting. I had hoped Edward would have been back. In her current state, Nathalie would offer me no support.

I grabbed a cup of strong coffee before heading back into my office. Edward was there, looking, I might add, like Adonis himself. I found myself licking my lips in anticipation of our next kiss.

"You're back I see. I'm glad; I didn't want to face Jane alone," I told him, moving past him to my chair.

"Have you forgotten something, my love?" he asked raising his eyebrows in question.

"I don't think so, why?" I asked confused.

He leaned over and kissed me deeply. I sighed, I could not help it.

"I've missed you," he whispered and dropped another small kiss on my lips before I could respond.

"I missed you, too. I'm glad you're back. I think I might need your help with Jane." I saw his reaction to her name and chuckled to myself quietly.

A firm knock on the door got our attention, and when it opened, I saw Nathalie, Aro, Caius, and Jane stood waiting to be invited in. Drat, I didn't want to deal with all of them at once. Kill me now, I thought to myself. Edward being Edward, he was all smiles and graciousness. He invited them in, pointing Aro back out of the office and told him he would need to go bring in extra chairs. The look on Aro's face was a picture. He clearly was used to giving orders, not taking them. He did, however, go get the two extra chairs we required, but I had to stifle my giggles at his expression.

"So, Jane, I thought this was just going to be me, you, and Nathalie?" I asked her.

"Well, now that you have support in Edward, I thought I would, too. You don't mind Aro and Caius being present do you, Isabella? Nathalie felt sure you wouldn't object," she virtually preened as she talked.

"I don't have a problem. However, I fail to see the need for their presence over something so trivial."

"Trivial, Ms. Swan?" Caius interjected.

"Yes, this meeting was set up to discuss Jane and Alec's need to have access to Nathalie's company accounts and bank details. I've already discussed this with you, Mr. Volturi, so I saw no need to invite you to this meeting today. Now, can we get on?"

Jane turned a lovely shade of puce and I could almost see the steam coming out of her ears as I spoke. It sort of made me feel really powerful, even though I was scared shitless of both her and the Volturi brothers.

I saw Edward smirking out of the corner of my eye as Aro directed Jane to calm down and ask what she wanted to ask.

"Ms. Swan, I fail to understand the need to keep key personnel out of the loop. Are you suggesting that Aro or Caius and their staff are involved in the embezzlements?" I could tell by the smug expression on her face that she was trying to intimidate me and thought she had made me feel small.

I was about to answer her when I felt Edward's hand on my back. "I'll take this, love," he said, stroking my shoulder gently before standing up and addressing the room.

"Jane, as Bella has explained to your boss and his brother previously, the new passwords are shared on a need-to-know basis only. You and your bosses do not fall into that category. Until the perpetrators of this crime are caught, the fewer people who know the passwords the better.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, while you're all here, I just need to let you know that Henri has brought in a new security team. They'll take over the day-to-day running of Nathalie's security. They'll also take over escorting Nathalie and Gerald to and from work each day. I'll escort Bella between here and home. We will, however, use a company vehicle and the driver will be from the new security team. I would ask that if any of you are required to do something that you feel is out of the ordinary, you're to speak to Henri, who'll be only too happy to assist. I know you're all frustrated about not being in the loop, but believe me, people; it really is for the best. Unless, of course, you're the person committing the crime and you need those passwords for criminal purposes?"

He left it there, hanging in the air. All three of them seemed to squirm in their seats. It was hard to tell which of them were more uncomfortable. They all looked as guilty as hell to me. But then, what did I know.

I covered the rest of the things I needed to before bringing the meeting to a close. I had more statements to go through, mainly from people working under Gerald. Even the slightest hint of something could give us another lead. Anything at this point would be a bonus, because since closing down the access and the failed hack-ins, we'd had nothing. Gerald's computer whiz had come up with a big fat zero on finding out whom and from where the hack had taken place. Edward seemed unconcerned, while I was getting more and more frustrated as time was passing by.

I realised now it was mainly because I wanted to go home. I missed my friends, and our lives were in limbo here, waiting for normalcy to return, or the other shoe to drop.

"Hey, are you okay, love?" Edward asked, bringing me out of my daydream.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I was miles away. I didn't even realise they'd gone. So, what now, Mr. Cullen?"

"Well, now, my love, how do you fancy a night out? I'd love to take you out, wine and dine you in style, maybe a little bit of dancing in the most romantic city in the world."

"Really?"

"Why not?" he grinned.

Well, who was I to argue with that logic?

To say I was nervous would have been an understatement. Why, I did not know. Edward had retreated to the guest room to get ready. I was glad as it gave me time to primp and do all the things necessary to make a girl look good for her guy. Finally ready, I stood and paused before the mirror. I did not scrub up badly, even if I did say so myself.

My form-fitting dress was cream with bold black triangles down each side. It fit me perfectly, hugging all the right places to accentuate my figure. I felt pretty special, and I hoped Edward liked it.

His eyes bore into me as I approach him and did a turn, asking what he thought.

"There are no words, Bella, you're simply stunning. I still can't believe you're prepared to give me a chance after how I treated you back in Seattle. Thank you, my love, for giving me the opportunity to prove to you how much you mean to me. I love you so much, Bella."

My eyes filled with tears and before I knew it, I was wrapped in his safe warm arms.

"I love you, too, Edward, but you've made me cry and now my make-up needs re-doing."

"You're perfect as you are," he dropped a kiss on my nose. "I thought we'd walk, take a stroll along the Seine. Does that sound okay?"

"Perfect," was all I could manage.

Hand in hand, we set off. The evening was cool, but not overly cold. People were milling about everywhere. Artists were surrounded by people, looking to buy their wares or just browsing. We stopped periodically to look at something or other, talking all the way until he stopped me outside a small French café.

"Will this be okay for dinner?" he nodded toward the café's doors.

The little restaurant was famous amongst the locals. Nathalie had mentioned it as a great place to eat once or twice. I think she might have even brought Seth here.

"I've heard wonderful things about the menu here," I told him honestly. "But Edward, we'll never get a table."

He pulled me inside, grinning like a naughty schoolboy. God, I loved that grin. I followed him inside and heard him speak in fluent French. We were ushered towards the rear of the little place to a small table for two. It was situated perfectly, not too close to the small dance floor or kitchen, and private enough to feel intimate and very special.

"Have you been cooking things up with Ms. Oberlauge, Mr. Cullen?"

"I might've been. Do you like it?"

"No, I love it, and I love you, too," I smiled, leaning over to kiss him.

I felt like a girl on her first date. We held hands openly over the table and gazed at each other. I really did feel eighteen again.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Now that you're here, yes, more than you could ever imagine."

"Good, I'm glad you like me being here because I'm not going back until this is sorted and you can return with me. I refuse to leave you here alone, Bella."

My breath faltered at his deeply passionate words. Right now I wished we were back in the comfort of the apartment where I could take advantage of him. I ached with need for him and wanted to move our relationship on to the next level.

Dinner was fabulous, and with no room left for dessert, we sipped our wine and listened to the band play quietly.

"Dance with me?" he offered me his hand.

How could I refuse? I did not normally ever dance, I was a people watcher and loved nothing more than sitting back and watching others dance and enjoy themselves. Tonight, though, it was my turn.

As I expected, Edward danced like a pro. He glided me around the small dance floor, all the while holding me close and making me feel like the most special girl in the whole wide world.

"You dance very well, Edward, sorry I'm not up to your standard."

"Pah, you're doing just fine. You don't give yourself enough credit, Ms. Swan. You feel wonderful in my arms, love. I could hold you like this forever. I know we said we were going to take things slowly with our relationship, but when we're like this, all I want to do is make love to you, prove to you how you really make me feel."

"I know, I feel the same."

"You do?"

"How could I not? Edward, I love you. You make me feel things I've never felt before, you make me want things I've never wanted before, and like you, it scares me to death. But it doesn't make me want you any less. How about we get out of here?" I blushed at what I was implying.

He did not answer; he just grabbed my hand and pulled me back to the table. He swiftly ordered the bill while I made a quick visit to the powder room. My nerves took over once I realised I had probably just given Edward the green light to have sex with me tonight. Shit, I wanted it, too, desperately so, but he, like me, had wanted to wait. What if we did this and it all went pear-shaped? Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I saw an attractive woman, flushed with passion after dancing with the man she loved.

"Why are you so scared, Swan?" I asked myself out loud.

With a deep breath and my fingers crossed for courage, I headed back to the man of my dreams. He was waiting, ready with a heart-stopping smile on his lovely face.

"Ready? I've taken the liberty of ordering us a taxi back, love. I hope you don't mind."

I shook my head, unable to respond in any other way.

The tension between us rose as we sat closely in the back of the taxi. Occasional glances at each other and gentle caresses of my hand were all that was needed. Edward paid the fare and we walked up the stairs hand in hand. I did not know whether to laugh or cry I was so wound up.

I was certainly not prepared for the sight that greeted us as we took the final turn and walked into my apartment's corridor. My apartment door was ajar, only slightly, but significantly enough for me to spot it and Edward, too. He halted us and moved me behind him, gesturing for me to stay behind him and stick close.

Slowly, we both made our way inside what had been my Parisian home. The small hallway table was lying on its side, my address book and phone scattered across the floor. Making our way into the lounge, the place was a mess. Furniture was strewn all over the place and everything seemed to have been upended. Papers littered the floor. I gasped louder than I realised and Edward turned and looked at me.

"Are you okay? It looks like someone is trying to tell us something," he added, moving into the bedroom.

I followed carefully, sobbing quietly now, our mood from the restaurant gone in a flash. Edward was right; someone was leaving us a message. In the bedroom, all of our clothes had been emptied out of their respective wardrobes and drawers.

He moved back to my side. "It's okay, love, they've gone. I'm just going to go ring Henri and the local police. Will you be okay for a minute or two on your own?" he asked leaning down to really look at me. He dropped a kiss on the top of my head before leaving me stood in the mess that once had been our bedroom.

So much for sexy time, I thought to myself, throwing myself on the bed and letting my emotions take over.

**Cockblocked again... **


	27. Chapter 27

**The Firm**

**I continue to be blown away by your continued support and responses. Keep them coming.**

**Hello and welcome to all the new readers and reviewers, nice to have you on board.**

**Thanks to Dollybigmomma, beta extraordinaire.**

**SM owns it all. Bitch.**

**Chapter 26**

**EDWARD**

My heart broke for Bella as I made my way out of her earshot. She did not need to hear my desperate calls to both the local police and Henri. My emotions were all over the place and I felt sick to my stomach to think that someone had invaded our privacy. I also felt extremely angry, fucking raging, actually, but I could not let Bella see me like that. No, I needed to be calm for her if for no one else.

The local police assured me they would be by momentarily. Henri would come, too. He sounded like I felt when I relayed what we had found in Bella's apartment. He told me not to touch anything, so I quietly moved back to the bedroom door to ensure Bella had not started to tidy up.

What I saw broke my heart. She was laid in the middle of what had become our bed, curled up into the fetal position where she cried softly. In that moment, all I wanted to do was gather her in my arms and make it all better, make it all go away. I couldn't, though, not yet at least. We needed to leave everything as we had found it in case there were fingerprints or clues.

A sceptical mind told me that whoever had done this knew exactly what they were doing. They must have been watching the place and had come in after we'd left earlier. The door looked like it had not been forced. My guess would be that this was the work of professionals. I was no expert, but in my field, I had come across an awful lot of evidence like what the apartment looked like right now. All my instincts told me this was a professional job, meant to scare, a threat to back off because we were getting too close, causing them too much trouble. I could not help but wonder if next time the threat would be in person. A shiver ran down my spine at the very thought of someone threatening or trying to hurt my Bella.

She had fallen asleep, our wonderfully romantic evening spoiled. If I wasn't so upset for Bella, I would have been downright pissed at being cock-blocked by burglars. I leaned against the bedroom door jamb and took in the chaos of our bedroom. Clothes belonging to both of us were strewn all over the floor. Most all of Bella's looked like they had been ripped or even worse, slashed. Clothes we could replace, I was not worried about that, but if anyone hurt my Bella, I would leave no stone unturned until they suffered like they were burning in hell. Another wave of feeling sick hit me at the very thought.

A sharp rap on the still-open door brought my attention back to the matter I needed to deal with. Two members of the _surete_ _nationale_ stood waiting to be invited in. They were both in uniform. I had thought they might have sent the equivalent of a detective so that prints and the like could be collected while they were somewhat fresh. I invited them in.

One of the men walked round the place while the other took notes in a small black book. He whipped out a tiny camera and took pictures from all angles. They obviously did things differently over here than how it was done back home. My eye caught more movement by the door. Henri had arrived with Phillipe, one of his best men. I motioned for them to come in quietly, as I did not want Bella disturbed if I could help it. The French police were happy with my statement for now and agreed that Bella could make hers the next day. They left, and now it was time for Henri and Phillipe to take a look around.

I caught some but not all of their conversation. Even my fluent French was not good enough to follow the whole exchange given their fast pace and using local dialects. Phillipe spoke English well and asked me to wake Bella. They needed to examine the slashed clothing and did not want Bella to wake and witness it. She had been scared enough for one day.

Kissing her head gently, I said her name. "Bella, love, wake up. Let me carry you into the lounge, you can go back to sleep on the sofa or in my arms. Henri and his colleague want to take a look around."

I lifted her into my arms and walked us both into the lounge. She snuggled into me, murmuring into my neck. Her lips on my neck felt great and there was nothing I would have loved more right now than to be curling up in our bed and taking this further. I knew the reality of that happening, though, was about as likely as hell freezing over. God, even if we had been alone, with our bodies craving a release, acting on it at this time would not have been right. Emotions were heightened for all the wrong reasons. We just needed to be together, hold on to each other, support each other until we knew more.

Henri and Phillipe worked slowly but diligently. They also took pictures, and then they closed the bedroom door while they examined the slashed clothing. The policemen had taken a couple of things they thought they might be able to retrieve prints from. Henri muttered in French about that and I could not help but smile at his clear frustration.

The quiet sound of Phillipe calling my name brought me from my haze. "Edward, we're about done here. Can Henri and I talk to you in private?"

"Sure, just let me put Bella back in the bedroom. She's still sleeping so hopefully she won't notice me moving her." I got up as sedately as I could while trying my best not to jostle her, but I failed big style and she stirred.

"Edward," she clung to me and her eyes pierced mine as she took in what I was doing. "Please don't leave me," she begged.

My heart broke at both her words and the sound of her incredibly sad voice.

"Love, I'm just going to put you back on the bed. Try to sleep a bit more. I'm going to see Henri and Phillipe out then I'll be right back by your side, okay?"

She nodded in agreement and closed her eyes as I gently put her in the middle of the bed. I covered her in the thick Afghan that lay over the end of the bed. I dropped a lingering kiss on her forehead and made my way as quietly as I could into the other room. I closed the door behind me, not wanting her to hear any of the pending conversation.

"So, did you find anything?" I asked pointedly.

"Edward, this was not a random act of burglary. This is a clear warning to both you and Ms. Swan. Look, there's no easy way to say this, but the clothes in the bedroom were slashed repeatedly, especially Ms. Swan's things. It appears the cuts were placed strategically to let you know they mean business, a threat of sorts. This was a professional job. They left no prints, no evidence for us to follow up on. You and Ms. Swan need to take on extra security, maybe move into a hotel where we can be sure you'll be safe. We'll have a couple of men stationed outside overnight. You'll be safe for now at least."

They left, as there was nothing more they could do, at least for now. I sat down and got my laptop out of its case. I needed to bring Emmett and Jasper up to speed on what had happened. I decided an email was the best way to do that. I knew my message would result in a phone call and questions. I added for them not to call me until I was in the office tomorrow. For the rest of the night, I wanted to be there for Bella, offer her as much comfort as she needed and prove to her that I was in this for the long haul. Closing the computer down, I made my way into the bedroom after doubly securing the apartment door.

She was asleep, still wearing her beautiful dress. I hated to disturb her, but she needed to rest properly and sleeping all night in restrictive clothing was not conducive to that. Whispering quietly in her ear, I tried to rouse her.

"Bella, love, can you wake up for me? We need to get you undressed so we can settle down for the night. Can you do that for me?" I asked, but she didn't reply.

I tried kissing her awake and she stirred a little more so I took that as encouragement and shook her a little.

"Come on, sweet girl, wake up for me."

She turned over and opened her eyes slowly.

"Was I dreaming or did we really find the apartment ransacked when we came home?"

I did not know how to answer her without upsetting her more.

"Baby, you weren't dreaming, I'm very sorry to say. You should get undressed and I'll let you use the bathroom first to get ready for bed. Once you're comfortable, we can climb back into bed and talk some more if you'd like."

She nodded and got up, padding her way to the bathroom, stopping to find something to sleep in that wasn't slashed on the way. I quickly got undressed, opting tonight to put on a pair of black cotton bottoms and a grey t-shirt that had survived. We crossed paths silently as she exited the bathroom, neither of us speaking.

Ten minutes later, I crawled into bed and turned out the light.

"Leave it on, please, just until I fall asleep?" My heart ached once again and I pulled her close to me, dropping a kiss on her head.

"Go to sleep, sweet girl, I'm right here," I told her, hoping to reassure her that she was safe.

"Edward, this is serious isn't it?" she asked quietly.

"How do you mean, love?" I asked, hoping to buy some time before I had to answer her.

"This break-in tonight, it's linked to what's going on at Nathalie's isn't it? It's a threat of sorts, warning us to back off?"

I sighed, but I knew keeping my thoughts to myself would only hurt her in the long run and I had hurt her enough. Besides, knowledge was power.

"Love, I don't know anything for sure yet, but my guess would be that you're right. This was a warning for us to back off. Bella, I want you to know that I'll not let anything happen to you. I love you and I swear I'll keep you safe."

"I know, but what about keeping yourself safe?"

"Don't you worry yourself over me, love. I can handle myself just fine."

"But I do worry, Edward. I love you and I don't want you to be hurt, I'd die if anything happened to you. You might drive me to distraction some of the time and frustrate the hell out of me the rest of the time, but it doesn't mean I love you any less. You're my life now and I can't live without you. Please try to remember that if you decide to play hero on me, huh?"

I chuckled a little and pulled her in closer, the mood between us a little lighter for now at least. She snuggled into me, her ass doing all sorts of crazy things to my trying-to-be-good cock.

"Bella, please," I groaned.

She chuckled quietly; she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, my love. Wake me if you can't sleep and we'll talk some more."

"Okay."

Her breathing evened out more or less straight away, poor love. She was obviously exhausted. I leaned over and turned out the light before I spooned around her and settled down. Sleep did not come easily to me, though. I found myself listening to every creak and noise the apartment made. I was on alert, unable to relax and let sleep overcome me.

I must have eventually drifted off, though, because Bella stirring beside me brought me back to wide awake. It was still dark as she climbed out of my arms and made her way to the bathroom. I waited for her return.

"You okay, love?"

"Yeah, I just needed the loo. What time is it?"

"It's a little after five o'clock, let's go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Come on, get back in bed before you catch a cold," I motioned to her.

"I'm not tired now, it was early when I crashed wasn't it? I feel like I've had my quota of sleep already. How do you feel?"

"Well, I took longer to drift off. I found myself listening to all the sounds the apartment makes at night and analysing them. The streets below were quite noisy, too. I could sleep some more if you came back to bed and cuddled with me."

Her resulting smirk was so fucking cute I could feel myself harden. The last thing I needed right now was Bella to think I wanted sex. I tried in vain to adjust myself without her noticing.

"Got a problem there, Cullen?" she asked as she slipped closer to me under the duvet.

I groaned into her neck when her leg wrapped over me, massaging my now very-erect penis.

"Sorry, love."

"Hey, don't be sorry, I like that I have that effect on you. It makes me feel good about my girly prowess. So are you sure you want to sleep some more?"

"I am, Bella." I moved her leg reluctantly, knowing if I left it there and she started to move it some more that I would fuck her and that was the last thing we needed after the night we'd just experienced.

No, I was determined that our first time was going to be perfect, romantic, and the best night of Bella's life. She deserved to be worshipped, not fucked as a knee-jerk reaction to what had happened here in the apartment.

The alarm went off all too soon. I was not sure going into the office today was such a good idea, but Bella wanted to show whoever had done this that it was business as usual.

My phone was full of messages, Emmett and Jasper both demanding more information and a call as soon as I could. They must have told Seth, too, because he left a voicemail stating his intention to change his plans and get the first flight out he could.

Henri collected us at seven thirty. He nodded but said nothing. At the office, no one seemed to pay us any more attention than usual. Bella went off to make us a coffee while I made the phone call to my friends back in Seattle.

I assured them that Bella and I were fine. Bella brought back the coffees just as I ended the call.

"Jazz and Emmett send their love. They want you to come home."

"I'm not leaving without you, Edward. I want to finish this, more so now than ever."

I nodded at her, but said nothing. I didn't realise that she had left the door to her office open until I heard papers rustling and looked up at the person standing in front of her doorway.

"Edward, Bella, I didn't expect to see you two in the office today…"

**So, any idea who it was making that statement? And are we getting closer to the truth?**

**Until next time...**

**Dolly and I would like to wish all our readers a belated Happy Christmas and All the Best for the New Year.**


	28. Chapter 28

**The Firm**

**Thanks to all the usual suspects. Waving a hello to all the new readers, welcome on-board. Don't be shy in letting us know what you think!**

_**Last Chapter…**_

_**I didn't realise that she had left the door to her office open until I heard papers rustling and looked up at the person standing in front of her doorway.**_

"_**Edward, Bella, I didn't expect to see you two in the office today…"**_

**Chapter 27**

**BELLA**

My head snapped up at the words I had just heard. I immediately turned my head towards Edward. He had also heard them and like me, was staring intently at my open office door.

"What did you just say?" I asked turning fully around now to face the door. Edward moved to my side and placed his hand on my lower back, his thumb creating soothing circles, trying to calm me.

"_Cherie_? What's that look for?" Nathalie asked concerned.

"Natalie, come in and close the door, please," Edward said in a low authoritative tone.

She looked a little confused, but did as Edward asked. She sat facing us with a quizzical look on her face. She didn't seem worried that we might have cottoned on; if anything, she looked confused.

"Are you two okay? You both seem a little off if I might say. I mean, I know you must've had a horrendous night. Jesus, when Henri told me this morning about what happened; I almost came straight over and insisted you move into my place. Please tell me you're not going to stay there any longer."

Huh, of course I should have known Henri would fill her in. It did seem all a little too easy for her to make such a simple slip. My heartbeat slowed and a wry smile crossed Edward's lips as he patted my hand.

"Thanks for the offer, Nathalie, but I think we're going to move into a hotel. Phillipe is going to look into something secure for us long-term."

We spent a good few more minutes chatting. I told her about all of my clothes being slashed and she insisted we go shopping to replace everything that had been ruined, on her of course. Alice would piss her pants if she knew I was going to be traipsing around Paris on a shopping spree where money was of no consequence. The evil in me might just have to give her a call and let her know, it had been a while since I'd heard her scream after all.

When Nathalie had gone, I looked at Edward sighing. "I suppose it was too good to be true, they're too savvy to make such a casual mistake. I never even really considered Nathalie as being a part of this. Did you?"

"I wouldn't and haven't discounted anyone, love. Even Henri, I watch him like hawk, looking for clues. So far he seems pretty legit, but it's clear that we're dealing with real pros here, Bella. If Henri is involved, he'll know we're watching him. Aro and Caius, too, those two will have Jane and Alec watching their backs. At this point in time, I think we're about as far away from solving this as we ever were. Seth arrives the day after tomorrow, though, and he's coming on board. He's pretty good at ousting rats from their nests and we could sure use a sly tomcat like him right now."

"Is he coming alone?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just thought maybe Jasper and Emmett would come with him."

"They both wanted to. God, I'm surprised they're both not already on a plane, but I think, or rather hope, I put them off. They can do no good here. Emmett sounded like he wanted to kill someone when I spoke to him last night. He may appear calm and reasonable, but when his friends or family are threatened, he undergoes a personality transplant. It'd be counterproductive. As much I love him, them, they're better off in Seattle. They're doing some re-con from over there, anyway. A little distance may actually help."

"Okay, I think I might ring Alice and Rose. Edward, I love you," I leaned towards him and rested my head on his shoulder.

His arms came around me and held me tightly. His lips pressed hard against my head. "I love you, too, baby, so fucking much."

People came and went all day. I had to leave messages on both Alice's and Rose's phones. I kept pretty much to myself, leaving Edward to deal with the security men and the police, who were insisting that I make myself available for an interview. I continued to review all the evidence we had collated already, hoping the slightest clue would present itself.

There had been no more illicit attempts to access the company or bank accounts. I was not stupid enough to think that it was over, though. Gerald had done another months' worth of accounts reviews and the profits were up considerably. A very large sum of money sat in the company's bank accounts, almost tempting "the mole" to make another move.

I was more than a little nervous, but Edward assured me it was all necessary. Only Edward, Nathalie, Gerald, and I were supposed to know of the large increase in profits last month. I supposed time would tell whether the information was leaked or hi-jacked by another source. No further shipments of art had been intercepted and the profits reflected that. Our mole had either gone quiet, or their activities had been nipped in the bud. Edward and I had discussed that maybe they had sufficient money now. We both knew people like this were greedy, though, and a cool two million Euros was never going to be enough, and if our niggling thoughts of Aro and Caius being involved were correct, then the people they were linked to would think that that sort of money was nothing more than a bit of pocket change. No, Edward and I were sure more was to come, but when and how was yet to be seen.

"Bella, love, are you ready to head off? Henri has us booked into a rather nice hotel not far from the apartment. The security there is good since they're used to having high-profile guests, not that we'll be high-profile, I just mean…"

I cut him off with a swift kiss.

"As long as we're there together, I don't care. Let me make arrangement with Nathalie for shopping tomorrow then I'm all yours."

Ten minutes later, we were being guided into the company's limousine. Henri was driving and spoke to Edward in his usual French, but this time his tone was hushed. Like I would be able to understand or even try to follow their fluent conversation.

We pulled up outside the Hotel Plaza Athenee. It was part of the Dorchester. I had read in a magazine how celebrities stayed here and felt safe and secure. Trust Edward to secure us a room here.

I stood at his side while he registered us. The receptionist flirted with him outrageously, but Edward being Edward, he wasn't even aware. She apparently didn't care that I was stood there and that we were obviously together. Some people just didn't get it. I wanted to scratch her eyes out, but not because I was jealous. Hell, Edward never even looked at her, but she was being rude, and in her job, she really should have known better. Henri asked to speak to the head of security and went off to his office, I assumed to fill him in on our requirements.

The bellboy took our luggage, not that there was much, into the lift and pressed the button for one of the top floors. When we exited, I noted that there were very few rooms up here. We stopped as the boy swiped our card in the door marked "Eiffel Suite." I rolled my eyes at Edward as I walked in ahead of him.

"Don't look at me like that. You need to feel at home as well as safe. I need you to be safe, Bella. You're my life now, I've told you that."

The view was spectacular, this was no ordinary suite. French doors opened out onto a private patio area with a direct view of the tower. Inside, a set of stairs led to the bedrooms, of which there were three. I longed to run up them and check out the rooms up there. Instead, I wandered around, touching the elegant furniture. The downstairs housed a large lounge, kitchen, and dining area. Off around the corner was a study area as well as a massive TV room. I loved it.

"Edward, it's too much, perfect, but far too much. Thank you."

"Nothing is too much for you, baby. I did a little research at the office. This place is about as secure as a prison; nothing gets past to the guestroom floors without the right security code for the lifts. And Nathalie is covering all the costs, not that I wouldn't have, but there was no need as she feels kind of responsible. You'll also find that she insists on spoiling you tomorrow on your shopping spree. Be forewarned; wear comfy shoes because you're in for quite a day. Henri and Phillipe will go with you, just in case."

His arms snaked around my waist. "I'll worry, anyway, but without the distraction of you in the office, I might actually get some work done, and I have to pick Seth up from the airport. I offered, seeing as Nathalie was busy. It'll also give me time to bring him up to speed."

The next couple of hours were spent with us getting settled. It took that long because it was my turn to get distracted. Edward decided to change into something a little more casual. When I walked in on him in nothing but black boxers, I could not help but stand and stare, admiring the god amongst men before me. I think I even licked my lips as he turned around, catching me right in the middle of the act.

"See something you like, Ms. Swan?" he grinned like the sexy fucker he was.

"Something like that," I smiled as I walked slowly but deliberately over to him; never taking my eyes from his. He stared me down in an almost challenge.

Once I was stood in front of him, I could not resist running my hands up and down his bare chest. Fuck, I just loved the chest hair he had going on, none of that waxing shit from my man. His hand caught mine in his and he brought it to his lips.

"Bella, please...if you don't want me to undress you right here and now, throw you down on the bed, and make love to you all night, you need to let me get dressed."

I swallowed hard at his words. They went straight to my hoo-hah and she was now begging me to jump his bones. She was tired of not getting what she really wanted. I removed my hand from his and took a step backwards. His beautiful face fell and it killed me to see him think I was rejecting him. I couldn't have that.

I walked slowly around him, kissing every part of exposed skin I could reach. His breathing hiked at every pass and I noticed his eyes were closed and his mouth was open, just a little. I still did not speak. My hands and fingers now joined my lips in the worship. He was quite magnificent; tall, broad, and athletic. He had a smattering of a birthmark, so sexy, arching across his back, the heart-shaped spot just below his neckline about killing me. I had to stop myself from plunging my hand into his now-tented boxers. _'Behave, Bella,'_ I told myself. _'There'll be time enough for that.'_

Poor Edward's breathing was now quite shallow. I think I would have fainted if I had been breathing so shallowly. I was back facing him, standing close, but no longer touching him. I watched and waited for him to open his eyes.

When he did, it brought tears to my eyes. His eyes were full of tears and so much love I found it kind of hard to breathe.

"Bella," he took hold of my hand and placed it over his pounding heart, "I know the other night was special, but I think that was the most erotic thing I've ever experienced. Thank you." He liked it, I mean he really liked it, and it was nothing really, just a few kisses and a few faint touches. A huge grin covered my face as I stood up on tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Don't get dressed, Edward…please."

**Next chapter could be hot, unless of course they're cockblocked again…just sayin'.**

**Happy New Year, hope 2013 makes all your dreams come true.**

**Until next time...**


	29. Chapter 29

**The Firm**

**Happy 2013! Hello and waves to all the new readers out there, and a huge thank you for whoever is spreading the word. Let me know who sent you so I can PM them a thank you.**

**Huge thanks to Dollybigmomma, the best beta ever! Take a bow, Dolly.**

**SM still owns it.**

**Chapter 28**

**BELLA**

I could feel the blush rising from my toes as he let my request for him not to get dressed sink in. Still stood in front of him now and barely touching, I dared to look into his face. His beautiful eyes widened as he realised what I had meant, then he swallowed. Feeling a little bolder now, I realised Edward was nervous. What the fuck was this? Why in hell did he feel he had anything to be nervous about?

"Bella, are you sure this is not just a knee-jerk reaction to what happened? Because I'm fine if it is, you know I'll wait, forever if that's how long you need."

I knew he was trying to give me an out, but I really, _really_ didn't want one. I wanted him, Edward Cullen, to make love to me. Slowly, I raised my hands to his chest and looked him right in the eye.

"I've never been surer of anything other than the fact that I love you and I want to make love with you...right now. Please?

His eyes filled with what looked like a mixture of pride, passion, and tears, then the most incredible smile crossed his face. It was like all the crap that had happened yesterday was suddenly erased in that one facial expression.

Slowly, we made our way to the bed, our eyes never leaving each other. His fingers caressing my palm, making my already-throbbing hoo-hah throb all the more.

"Someone's got too many clothes on for my liking," he murmured, moving his hands towards my top. I nodded slowly, letting him know once again that I wanted this.

My natural shyness disappeared under his obvious admiration and tender touches. Now it was my turn to be in awe as he slowly made his way round me; doing to me exactly what I had done to him, the only slight difference being that Edward undressed me as he went. Erotic was one word I suppose you could use. Me, I'd have used fuck hot, or panty-dripping, definitely something far cruder. It was the effect he had on me, it made the smart, sophisticated woman I was at work disappear in a puff of smoke, or the heady scent of passionate sex.

My whole body was covered with goose-bumps, not from the cold, but from the effects of his gentle touches and promising caresses. The anticipation was killing me and I was torn between yelling for him to just get on with it and letting this delicious foreplay continue for the rest of the night.

The decision was taken from me several minutes later when I was swept up in his strong arms and deposited in the middle of the bed. I giggled like a schoolgirl and wriggled further up toward the top. My man followed me on all fours, stalking me like I was his prey. I loved it, this animalistic side of my Edward. It was exhilarating to see him like this, free almost, unreserved, passionate, and definitely hot. I loved him, I loved him like this.

Dressed now in only tiny white boy shorts, I lay back and enjoyed Edward's worshipping of my breasts. My hands raked through his hair, pulling and tugging, scratching his scalp as I writhed and moaned under his touch. His hands and fingers were gentle but firm on my skin. His tongue took over where his fingers left off and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Between kissing and gently nipping and sucking my nipples, his quietly whispered words of love and forever had me swooning. I came undone beneath him and he hadn't even reached the jackpot yet.

Tears streamed down my face, an effect of the orgasm I had just felt. The tears worried him and I did all I could to assure him they were good tears. "They're very good tears, Edward."

"Bella, I want to love you, all of you, but seeing you like this, feeling you respond to me like this, I'm scared I won't be able to last. The last thing I want is to disappoint you by going off like a schoolboy. You make me feel things I've never experienced before and I don't want to disappoint you...ever."

I gently took his face between my hands and looked into his eyes. "You never could, Edward, don't you get it? This, us, we're meant to be. No matter what, we'll be amazing together. I love you, all of you."

He kissed me then and it was magical…so soft, yet so passionate. We fit together as if we were made for each other. My hands explored his body, pulling him closer, and a moan escaped me when I felt his erection pressed close to my now-dripping core.

"I need you."

He needed no other words. He kneeled before me and slowly, never taking his eyes from me, pulled my panties down my legs and threw them. Where, who knew or cared. He was quiet, taking in my nude form, before uttering, "Beautiful." It made me smile.

In a move akin to a contortion artist, he removed his boxers and I got to see my prize. And what a prize it was. I knew I had no real experience with the male genitalia, but from what I could see, his were perfect. How could it not be, belonging to the most perfect male specimen I had ever seen?

Carefully, I explored him. He was silky soft yet hard, and wet on the end, pre-cum proudly beading at the head. I thought about slipping down and licking it off, but before I could, he had me pinned beneath him with a throaty growl.

"I fucking love you so much, Bella. Do you have any idea how much? How badly I want you right now?"

His words served only to make me want him even more. I raised my hips to him, letting him know I was with him all the way. He groaned and buried his head in my neck, kissing and sucking the skin that joined my neck to my shoulder. I hated love bites. Alice, Rose, and I had always thought of them as common. Right now, though, I wanted Edward to give me one. I wanted his mark on me.

He moved over me now, totally naked. Our eyes met, and now it was my turn to speak. "I love you, Edward, so much. Please don't make me wait any longer."

He didn't. Slowly and gently, he pushed inside me. He stopped a couple of times, holding his breath. Like me, I was sure he was trying to stay in control. I moved under him, encouraging him to move quicker, go deeper. It felt incredible and there were no words to describe the feelings coursing through my body. We matched perfectly, our bodies rose and fell together in perfect unison. I always knew we would. Kisses now were a frenzy of teeth and tongues. Our lovemaking had taken on a whole new feel; neither of us could get close enough or deep enough.

"Edward, I'm so close, baby, I'm so close," I moaned in his ear.

His movements picked up and he ground into me deeper, hitting that spot that made me see stars. My legs twitched as I pulsed around him, pulling his release from him. He cried out, almost as if in pain, before collapsing on top of me, a sound emanating from him that was a cross between sobbing and laughter.

After catching our breaths, he slid out of me and moved to my side. I dared to look at him, seeing the silliest grin plastered all over his beautiful face.

"I love you, my beautiful girl. That was...I always knew we'd be special, but hell, Bella, there really are no words."

I grinned back at him, nodding in agreement. With a giggle, I rolled closer to him and asked, "Can we do that again?"

**Short, I know. I make no apologies. But hey, a whole chapter given over to the lemon you've all been waiting 28 chapters for...was it worth the wait?**

**Until next time...**


	30. Chapter 30

**The Firm**

**So they finally got there. On with the story now that that little distraction is out of the way. **

**Waving hello again to so many new readers, welcome and please feel free to let me know what you think. A huge hug to all the regular readers and reviewers, you make it all worthwhile. Even the blurry eyes at work because I stayed up until some ridiculous time to finish the next chapter for you.**

**600 have this story on favourites and 921 on alert. AMAZING.**

**Love and hugs to Dollybigmomma for making sense of my drivel.**

**SM owns it...just saying.**

**Chapter 29**

**EDWARD**

I woke up a little stiff, especially in my upper arm area. My biceps or triceps or whatever the hell they were called felt like they'd had a real workout. Memories flashed through my mind clear as day of our rather extended extra-curricular activities last night. Three times, I found myself waking up to make love with Bella all over again. She was insatiable and I fucking loved it. Each time gave us both a different experience. Slow and sensuous made my toes curl at the memory. Taking her hard and fast made me so much harder than my usual morning wood. Tender and loving…well, there really were no words. I didn't think I could put into actual words everything I felt when I made love to my Bella like that. It was and remained the best experience of my life, ever. Nothing could ever beat being with her.

She stirred beside me and once again I was hard.

"Whoa, big boy," she giggled, nuzzling closer and purposely thrusting her hot wet core against me. Well, fuck that, two could play those games.

She was on her back with me hovering above her seconds later. Her face was lit up with love and happiness. I felt elated with the fact that it was me that had made her feel like that. Dropping down on top of her, but keeping most of my weight off her, I now knew why my arms felt like they'd had a real workout. I kissed her like my life depended on it.

Breathless but incredibly happy, I said, "Good morning, beautiful, how are you this fine morning?" I leaned in closer and gave her an Eskimo kiss.

She laughed some more and did her best to nudge my hips a bit so that my erection could slide into her. I resisted, just; it was not that I didn't want to, but if my muscles ached like this, then I wondered what her body must have felt like. There was no way I was going to do anything to make her hurt.

"Edward, I feel wonderful, and I'd feel even better if I were to be ravished this fine morning."

She stretched some more, pushing her hot wet core closer to me, engulfing my tip. I groaned loudly for a second, but then felt her flinch slightly. I thought so.

Now it was my turn to take care of my girl and I did just that as I scrambled to her side and got up off the bed, not letting us go any further so she would be able to walk today. She pouted and tried desperately to grab me and pull me back into bed.

"You're sore, Bella. Besides, we need to get up and get ready for the office. Well, I do at least. You need to get ready for Nathalie. She'll be here by nine thirty. I need to get to the office and then to the airport to collect Seth." Her sad pleading eyes about killed me and I almost gave in and climbed back into bed and did her bidding. "We can shower together if you like?" I added, hoping a little time in the shower would reassure her that I loved her, loved everything we did, and wanted to do it again, over and over.

Her answer was to shoot out of bed giggling and run into the bathroom stark naked ahead of me. With a shake of my head, I followed her, knowing a normal shower this morning was out of the question. A huge grin crossed my face as I climbed into the now-steaming shower cubicle behind her.

Much later than I had planned, I exited the suite with yet another shake of my head as my sweet girl made no effort to disguise her obvious lust for me with a hard squeeze of my butt as I kissed her goodbye. I could hear her laughing all the way as I walked to the lift. I was not even halfway out of the foyer when my cell phone beeped with a message. Another huge grin spread across my face, her typed words hit me hard, and I mean hard.

**Come back**

**I need you! ;)**

The winking smiley face just about finished me off. I was still laughing quietly as I climbed into the waiting limo. Henri gave me a funny look and I just shrugged, not wanting to share my happiness with anyone other than Bella.

It was quiet at the office this morning. I missed her like fucking mad and I found myself looking at my watch much too often. The time went by far too slowly. Henri and Phillipe called by the office, said what they needed, and then left, shaking their heads at me in amusement. So what? I was a lost cause today. I had grumbled all too loudly when the two best security men had turned up at the office. They were supposed to have been with Bella and Nathalie, but apparently Nathalie had told them that they were stifling her creativity and she promptly sent them back to the office. At least Henri had had the foresight to call in two females from his team who were tailing the pair of intrepid shoppers at a respectable distance. She would be safe, or at least I hoped she would.

Now it was time for me to get to the airport, pick Seth up, and fill him in. Seth was like a dog with a bone, once he got his teeth into something, he wouldn't let go until it was done. I was kind of hoping he'd be like that with this case and work on finding out who the hell we were up against.

His flight had already landed when I strolled into the arrivals lounge. The luggage carousel had just starting to turn, and a few people started to drift through the doors, waiting for their bags. I heard him before I saw him, but that was normal. Seth could not keep his voice down to save his life and with his mountain man size, he usually arrived loud and clear. It was no different this time.

There was no sedate handshake with Seth Clearwater. No, as per usual, when I hadn't seen him in a while, he gathered me up in a bear hug, my feet completely leaving the ground.

"Put me down, you buffoon! Have you no decorum?" I asked him shaking my head, embarrassed at his show of affection.

"Nope, and you love me just the way am I am. Come on and admit it, Cullen, _you lurve me just the way I are." _I rolled my eyes as he finally let me down.

"Come on, the car is this way."

"Where's the lovely Isabella? Trying to keep her away from me, Edward? Well, just so you know, I'm spoken for nowadays and Bella and I are just friends. No need for any more stink eye."

"She's shopping for new clothes with your lady friend, actually. When most of her clothes were trashed, Nathalie offered to restock her wardrobe. They decided to do it today. I drew the short straw and got lumbered with meeting you and bringing you up to speed on things."

"You know you got the best of the bargain," he said winking at me.

"Shut up for once and come on. I only put a couple of Euros in the meter and I don't need your dawdling causing me to get a ticket."

"Ah, there's that grumpy bastard I've missed," Seth grinned.

I hurried on, leaving Seth with his bags in my wake. He followed slowly, grumbling, huffing, and puffing for effect. I opened the large boot of the car for him and then slid into the driver's seat and waited.

Seth listened quietly most of the way back to the office as I filled him in. He periodically asked pertinent questions and seemed to make mental notes of anything he thought relevant.

"We're all having dinner tonight. Sorry if you're jet-lagged, but Bella and Nathalie cooked this up between them. Me, I'd rather you and Nathalie head home so Bella and I can go back to our hotel suite."

"Where are we eating?" Trust Seth to think about his stomach.

"At the hotel restaurant, I might've agreed to eat together, but I made sure we're not going to be out in the open. I've taken the liberty of booking a private dining area. It's part of the main restaurant, but there'll only be our table. They section off certain areas with screens so that celebrities and the like can eat undisturbed."

"You seem more relaxed than I expected. With all that's going on, I half expected you to be bald by now with the way you rake your hair so much. But you seem calm and in control, relaxed almost. Are you really the Edward Cullen I know and love or are you an imposter, an alien who's taken over Edward's body?"

I looked at him and laughed. "What the fuck are you going on about, Clearwater? I'm me, no imposter, I can assure you."

"Bella is sure having a positive effect on you then because I've never seen you like this, not ever. I take it coming here was the right thing to do, like a knight in shining armour?"

"She is, and yes, it was the best decision I've ever made. I love her so much, Seth. I was a fool, a total idiot back in Seattle for hiding behind that fucking no-fraternization policy. I'll admit I was scared to death of what I was feeling. Being in love and finding your one true love is great. You just have to believe, trust in your feelings."

"So have you fucked her yet?" Seth got straight to the point as usual.

"I'm warning you, Seth, do not be crass about my relationship with Bella."

"So that means you have. I'm glad; you needed to get laid to get that colossal stick dislodged from up your whiny arse. So come on and spill, is she hot in the sack? She has that look about her that's all serious at work, which usually means they're hell-cats between the sheets. Dude, you are one lucky son of a bitch."

"I mean it, Seth; drop the curiosity about my sex life. Bella won't like it and I really don't care for it, either. All you need to know is that we're together, happy, and trying to solve what's beginning to be a case that's more than a little bit of a pain in the arse and possibly fraught with danger."

"Okay, I'll go easy on you for now. So, how's my lovely Nathalie holding up? She's been quiet when we've talked on the phone. I think she's more worried than she's letting on. Did I stay away too long?"

"I have no idea, Seth. Nathalie seems pretty together at the office. Bella and I have not socialised with her outside of work. She's been keeping pretty much to herself, other than going to the Volturi's for dinner."

The now-short ride was silent as we both seemed to contemplate our conversation. The office valet stepped up and took my keys as I exited the car. We headed up to the office, both of us eager to see if our other halves were back.

They were not. I glanced at my watch, more than a little worried, placing a swift call to Henri and instructing him to make a call and find out where the ladies were. It was Phillipe and not Henri that strolled into our office.

"They're in a taxi on their way back here as we speak. They went to your hotel first to drop off the bags. Bella twigged they were being tailed and called the girls' bluff by stopping and asking them to help her and Natalie get a taxi. They should be here in about twenty minutes. You can stop worrying now."

As he left, I knew his words were meant to comfort me, but I would only be at ease when Bella was here with me and by my side again. Seth continued to peruse the thick file I had placed in front of him. Occasionally, he cross-referenced something with the secure file we also kept on the computer. Bella had the computer one locked up so securely even I needed to keep the security codes written down. The paper file was taken home with her at the end of each day. My girl was nothing if not thorough, just another reason why I loved her so much.

Several messages had come through for her while she was out. Most were work related, but a couple were from her friends back in Seattle. They were worried about her. Join the club, I thought. I was glad she had someone else who cared for her. Jasper and Emmett had called me a little earlier, wanting an update and discussed with me how best to put Seth to good use. After a laugh about my thoughts on that, we said goodbye and promised to keep in touch.

Bella walked through the door and looked straight into my eyes. A hint of a blush crept up her exposed shoulders, also colouring her neck. She was remembering and it made me stir in my pants because I was remembering, too. She looked beautiful today, dressed in what I assumed was something new. It was figure-hugging and sexy as hell while remaining appropriate for the office. The navy and cream dress looked expensive, the cream piped edges setting it off wonderfully. The square neckline was neither too much nor too little, at least from my point of view. She looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"You're back then? Good trip by the looks of it," I said nodding at her attire and trying to remain where I was sat instead of leaping over the desk and hugging her to within an inch of her life.

"We are, you like?" she asked me, moving around the desk towards me.

I swallowed hard. "I don't like, Bella, I love." I leaned in for a kiss. She surprised me, though, and before we could make contact, she dropped onto my lap, her arms going around my shoulders and her lips nuzzling at my neck. Suddenly, it was very warm in here.

"I love you, too. Does that mean you missed me a little?" she continued to place small open-mouthed kisses on my neck and jaw.

"It does, I was worried. Especially when someone sent the men watching you back. That was a stupid thing to do, Bella, anything could have happened and then what would I have done?"

"I know…my bad. The two women arrived soon after, though, so you need not have worried too much." Her tongue now joins her lips and I was lost.

"I thought you didn't like public displays of affection, especially here at the office," I asked her.

"Edward, I've really, really missed you this morning and I just wanted to show you how much," she ground her fine arse on my now ever-present hard-on. "Besides, it's my office, who's going to see us?"

A not-too-subtle cough from behind us brought Bella to a sharp halt. A wry smile crossed my face because in all honesty, the moment she walked through that door, I had forgotten all about Seth as well. We had just given him quite a show, a show that was close to becoming X-rated.

When I looked over her shoulder, he had the biggest grin on his stupid face. Bella was mortified. "That's Seth, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "He's sat at the desk in the corner behind the door and he's just watched me kiss you and dry hump you, hasn't he?" I nodded slowly, trying to keep the smirk off my face.

With a deep breath, she turned on my lap. Not subtly, either, I assumed, figuring that this would be payback for not telling her Seth was in here. The blush was in full force now, but she managed to push herself down onto me a little harder before getting up to greet him.

"Seth!" she flew across the room and into his now-open arms. "It's good to see you. Sorry about the PDA, he makes me behave like someone I don't even recognise."

"Hey, you attacked me, remember?"

She rolled her eyes at me and continued to hug the giant of a man we both called our friend. I was suddenly aware that all the jealous feelings I'd had previously were gone. I could only think it was because I was confident in our relationship and no longer saw other men as a threat. Huh, who'd have thought it?

After a long catch up, we got down to business. Seth insisted he wasn't tired yet. He'd slept ten hours on the plane and did not want to be unable to sleep later. His reunion with Nathalie had yet to come. I assumed from his lack of urgency, he wanted that to be in private.

Two hours later, I was confident that Seth was about as up to date as he could be, at least for now. I told him to go see Nathalie. I needed some alone time with my girl and he needed to see his. With hugs all round, we promised to see him at seven o'clock in the restaurant.

I closed the door behind him slowly. I kept my back to it and just looked at her. It took her a moment to notice that I had not gone back to my desk.

"Is everything all right?" she asked me, a deep red blush now clearly covering her cheeks and neck.

Like a predator, I slowly made my way toward her. Now it was my turn to say hello properly. I heard her breathing spike as I got closer.

"Edward, uh..." My lips claimed hers to silence her and I knew she didn't mind when her hands made their way into my hair and started to tug.

"You're so beautiful, you drive me crazy, woman. Let's get out of here, go back to the hotel, and have a little down time before we have to get ready for tonight," I asked her, but my eyes pleaded.

With a quick glance at her watch and her usual gnawing of her bottom lip, she nodded at me before quickly signing off her system and collecting all the documents we needed.

Hand in hand, we strolled through the office, ignoring the knowing glances and none-too-subtle sniggers. It was only half three after all and that was an unheard of time to leave.

The sexual tension between us was palpable. We were both nervous as hell and kept looking at each other, looking for reassurance I would guess. I knew it was stupid given how everything today had been so perfect. I figured it was the knowledge of what was going to happen the minute we got through that door that had us both on edge.

In the car, we sat close and I stroked her palm and felt her shiver. I knew it calmed her and she liked it. This time, however, she seemed to be a little more than tense and pulled her hand away, shaking her head at me. I was confused now. What the hell?

"Not here, Edward. I can't...I want you, but not here," she whispered in my ear.

Suddenly, it made more sense. My touch was turning her on and she wanted me.

The suite door was only just closed before she was in my arms. Her hands took on a life of their own and explored me all over…my hair, my face, up and down my body. She could not get enough.

"Now, Edward, I need you inside me now."

There was something rather caveman-provoking in being told that. Now it was my turn to take control. She was on her back on the wonderfully wide and luxurious settee in seconds, her designer dress now hunched up around her thighs so I could get closer. I sat back on my haunches, a little dumbfounded at the sight before me. She was wearing sheer lacy-topped stockings. The sight was breath-taking, she was breath-taking. Slowly, I crawled toward her; my hands explored her as I got closer. All the time, I was murmuring to myself mostly, but telling her, too, "You're so beautiful, so very, very beautiful".

This was not going to be slow and sensuous, or even lovemaking. This was going to be fucking in its most basic form. Her eyes told me she felt it, too, her every moan egging me on. The small cream buttons of her dress were opened none too gently. I would have to apologise to her later if I had ruined it. Her breasts were covered in a bra that matched the colour and lace of her panties and stockings. The deep navy blue sent me into overload.

"Now, Edward, fuck me now. Please!"

Her words were my undoing. I did not even take the time to undress. I could not wait a moment longer to be buried hilt deep inside her.

In one long thrust, I was there and I groaned, both in ecstasy and pain. Pain, because if I moved, I would explode and that would never do. Ecstasy, because she felt so good I could die right here, right now, a happy man. Her vaginal muscles pulsed around me, encouraging me to move deep within her. I was unable to resist and pounded into her like the world was going to end.

It did not take long before we were both on the edge. I felt like I had short-changed her and promised to make it up to her later. She laughed, causing her muscles once again to massage me. She brought me over the edge with her, both of us crying out in sheer pleasure.

Exhausted, I collapsed at her side with her in my arms, still buried deep within her.

"Well, that was interesting," she giggled.

"I'm sorry, love, I just..." She silenced me with a deep kiss.

"It was perfect, we're perfect together. It was just what we both needed. It was fuck hot and I loved it. I love to see you like that, it was very sexy. However, the next time I ask you to fuck me, will you at least let us get undressed?"

"I'm sorry if I ruined your new dress. I kind of liked it. I'll replace it, I promise."

"I'm not sorry, not ever. I really liked it. So, are we going to stay like this for the rest of the afternoon on this settee or do you fancy a cuddle in bed?" My eyes about popped out at her question.

"You want to go for a cuddle in bed? Does that mean you'll be naked?" She rolled her eyes as she pushed me off her, my now flaccid penis slipping out of her wetness.

"Why don't you come and find out?" she purred, looking over her shoulder at me as she climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

Yes and please!

**Okay, so not much happens in this chapter other than Seth's return and a little more hanky-panky. **

**The story will pick up now that all relevant parties are where they need to be. Next will be dinner with Seth and Nathalie and maybe a few surprises.**

**Until next time…**


	31. Chapter 31

**The Firm**

**Apologies for the delay in posting. RL and all that.**

**Okay, so I continue to be blown away by your responses to this story. We have more and more new readers all the time. Welcome to you all, don't be too shy to drop me a review and let me know what you think. Whoever is rec'ing this or spreading the word, thank you and keep up the good work.**

**Lots of you have opinions on who the "mole" could be. I love reading about your theories. Keep them coming.**

**Dollybigmomma needs a round of applause, please. She's amazing as beta. Thank you, Dolly!**

**Chapter 30**

**BELLA**

We were unfashionably late to the restaurant, totally his fault, not mine. I might or might not have been a willing participant, but he'd totally started it. I knew I would blush to my toes if Seth or Nathalie even so much as looked at me in a certain way. In typical Seth fashion, he did not disappoint.

"Oh, here they are. So, who got the time wrong, you two or us?" he asked, a cheeky smirk written all over his face.

"Sorry we're a bit late. You're right, Seth. Edward and I are a little late. Get over it." My words were all bluff, hoping he'd leave it alone. I should have known better.

"So, what kept you, or should I not ask?" His grin widened at my obvious discomfort.

"Ignore him, love, he's just trying to get a rise out of you," Edward whispered in my ear before glaring across the table. "Seth!" Edward warns quietly.

Thankfully, Edward's intervention seemed to stop Seth in his tracks, and so we sat down and ordered.

It was all a little awkward. Nathalie was full-on with Seth, and I was embarrassed for him with her constant touching. It all seemed a little forced, and the more she did it, the more I felt uncomfortable. It was obvious that none of us really wanted to be here. Tonight, I felt I could not talk to Nathalie when Edward and Seth started to talk shop. I looked around and fidgeted uncomfortably.

"You okay, love?" Edward asked squeezing my leg.

"Yeah, it just feels a little awkward. How long do we have to stay?"

"We can go as soon as we've finished eating if you want."

"Yes, please. I wish I'd never agreed to this."

I continued to observe Nathalie's interactions with Seth for the rest of the evening. Something was off, I could almost feel it. All her actions were deliberate and over-the-top. Her laughter was forced and almost comical. Edward, too, must have noticed, because I saw him wince a couple of times. It appeared Seth was oblivious and lapped up the attention. He seemed to genuinely care for her. That made me sad, as I feared his feelings were not genuinely returned.

At ten thirty, we said goodnight and made our way back to our suite. I went straight up to our room, Edward following quietly behind me. As I started to undress, Edward sat down on the bed and sighed. It made me look up at him.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him, turning to look at him as I stepped out of my trousers.

"Come sit down for a minute," he asked patting the bed beside him.

I did as he asked, a little worried now. When he took my hand in his and stroked my palm, I immediately felt calmer and a little horny.

"You seemed really uncomfortable tonight. I need to ask you why."

"I was uncomfortable. Nathalie's behaviour was so put on that I was embarrassed for poor Seth. He seemed oblivious that her over-the-top tactile behaviour was all forced tonight."

"Are you sure that's all it is?"

"You've lost me. Explain what you're getting at, please." I looked into his eyes and was surprised to see hurt there. "Edward, please, you're scaring me."

"Are you sure you weren't uncomfortable tonight because you realise you have feelings for Seth? Seeing him with Nathalie like that could've made you jealous."

Removing my hand from his, I stood up. "I don't believe you're even asking or suggesting this. How could you even doubt what I feel for you?" I walked into the bathroom before I said something I might regret.

With both hands placed at either side of the basin, I took deep breaths, trying to recount tonight's events. Did I act like I was jealous of Nathalie being with Seth? No, I was uncomfortable at Nathalie's blatant false acts of love. Was Edward so insecure in our relationship that he thought I wanted to be with someone else? Surely I had shown Edward how much I loved him. Jesus, we'd hardly kept our hands off each other since we'd moved in here.

Tears streamed down my face now. I didn't know what to do. How could I prove to Edward that I was not interested in Seth? Yes, we were good friends, but that was all we had ever been. How could we move forward if Edward truly believed this of me? I rinsed my face with cool water, hoping to wash away the evidence of my tears.

A quiet knock on the bathroom door made me take a deep breath before I opened it. Without even looking at him, I walked back into the bedroom and gathered up my pyjamas. I knew he was behind me, hovering.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I just had to ask. Everything we've done and said to each other tells me I'm being stupid, but I had to ask, I had to be sure. Will you please talk to me?"

If he really "just had to ask" that question, I wondered if we were really where we needed to be in our relationship.

Like a child, I ignored him and walked back into the bathroom to get my nightclothes on. When I was done brushing my teeth, I went back out to find the bedroom empty. I heard a voice, Edward's, coming from the lounge below. I struggled to hear what he was saying but couldn't. I climbed into bed and turned off the light.

With my eyes closed, I waited and waited for him to come to bed. When he finally did sometime later, he turned on the lamp at his side of the bed.

"Bella, are you awake?" he asked quietly.

I wanted to ignore him some more, but I knew if I did, this could escalate into something big, and it really wasn't worth it. Reluctantly, I turned over and faced him. My heart bled at the look on his handsome face. He looked lost, his beautiful eyes were empty almost, and they glistened with what I wondered were tears.

"Gerald called. Someone has successfully hacked into the bank accounts again. Another million has been moved out. He's putting a trace on the money as we speak, but it looks like it's been moved out of the country already."

I sat bolt upright at his words. "What? When?" I scrambled around for my wrap.

"Gerald thinks about half eight to nine tonight. He got the alert, and by the time he logged in to check, the money was gone. He's brought in Henri and some computer specialists. I just don't understand how they cracked those codes. This has me more baffled than ever. I'm going to text Seth, bring him up to speed, and see if he has any ideas. I think I'll go into the office for the night."

"If you're going then so am I. This is my case after all. Your being here does not alleviate me of my responsibilities." I started to get dressed when he spoke again.

"So what I said earlier, do you forgive me?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Of course I do, I wish to God I hadn't opened my stupid mouth in the first place. I'm an idiot, but you knew that already. Right?"

"Right. And just for the record, I have no interest in Seth, romantically or physically. I love you, I want only you. Understand?"

"Understood." He gave me a little salute, and I was relieved to see his gorgeous smile appear as he held out his hand to me. "Let's go see what we can find out at the office."

Seth agreed to meet us there. Nathalie apparently was not impressed when Seth told her he had to leave.

The office was lit up as Gerald and his team were already there. Henri and a couple of his guys were around, and then there was Edward, Seth and I. The atmosphere was tense, eyes looked with suspicion. I supposed at this point, everyone was a suspect. I felt sorry for poor Gerald. He looked like he was about to drop from the pressure. I smiled at him a little, hoping to reassure him as best I could. He turned away from me, I guess embarrassed that our fool-proof security codes had been hacked.

"Why did they only take a million?" Seth asked Edward. "How much more was in the accounts?"

I answered that. "At close of business yesterday, the bank balance was a bit over fourteen million. What do you mean? Is not stealing a million Euros enough, you think they should've taken more?"

"I just wondered why they didn't clear it all out. It seems like they're toying with us."

"Yeah, I thought about that. They cracked the codes and wanted us to know that. Bella, will you and Gerald get on with setting up new codes?"

"I'm on it. We're going for something totally different this time. How's the trace going?"

"We lost it for now. We traced it to Switzerland, but then the trail went blank. Seems like whoever this is has accounts all over the world. It could be anywhere by now. Laundering money these days is big business, and a cool million Euros is nothing, so IMOLIN aren't interested. It's too small scale for them to get involved in it. They've sent us some intel, but other than that, we're on our own with the French police."

"Did you tell Nathalie?" I asked Seth.

"No, she was asleep when I got Edward's text. Morning will be soon enough. She's going to be devastated."

We all got on quietly, people nipping in and out of the office to ask questions or seek clarification. Dropping a quick kiss on Edward's lips, I headed out to meet with Gerald. We needed the new codes to be something special. I had been sure the longer codes would have been impenetrable. Just showed what I knew.

For hours until it was light, Gerald and I butted heads over the next lot of security codes. We argued and laughed and almost cried, it was really quite frustrating. Eventually, we came up with a compromise; something we both hoped would work this time. Edward came calling for me, telling me that we were going home to get some sleep. I headed out behind him, my hand safely ensconced in his.

We slept for hours, naked and wrapped around each other, but too exhausted mentally to take advantage of our newly-found need for each other. When I stirred in his arms and glanced at the clock, I was surprised to see it was a little after two o'clock in the afternoon. I needed to relieve my bladder and disengaged myself from his strong warm arms. As quietly as I could, I made my way to the bathroom.

After taking a few moments to take care of my needs, I stood and looked in the mirror. I looked like hell, my eyes had dark rings around them, and my skin looked like shit. Stress did this to me, and no amount of pampering could stop the tell-tale signs.

His strong arms circled my waist, and his lips nuzzled into my neck. I loved the feeling, so I pushed myself into him, trying to get closer.

"You left me, I missed you."

"I needed to use the loo. I was coming back to bed, even if only to wake you up."

"Were you going to wake me for a reason?" his eyebrows wiggled and I laughed.

"No, just to tell you the time and to get you up." I turned in his arms so I did not have to talk to him through the mirror.

My arms circled his neck, and I pulled him in for a kiss. He felt so safe, comfortable, and I loved him for it.

I headed back to bed, leaving Edward to take care of his needs. He joined me a few minutes later, bouncing on the bed.

"Do we have time for a cuddle?" I asked him.

"I don't care if we don't, Bella. We'll always make time for a cuddle. So, is a cuddle all you want?"

"No, but we really don't have time for what I have in mind for you, Mister. So come here for a kiss and a cuddle, and then we'd better get up and get back to the office. Seth texted me, he's organised a meeting with everyone, including Aro, Caius, Jane, and Alec. We meet at four. So, Mr. Cullen, sexy time for you and me will just have to wait until later. I promise it'll be worth the wait," I wiggled my brows at him this time.

I felt like I was in seventh heaven when we walked into the office hand-in-hand. Even though the mood there was sombre, I could not help but feel happy that I was with Edward.

Seth was in my office, his face deep in concentration as he looked over our evidence file. He looked up momentarily when we entered and nodded. We all got on with our little pieces of the puzzle, occasionally bringing in one of the others for an opinion or just to sound off. All too soon, it was time to go to the boardroom.

I had not been in there since Edward's arrival. No need for video conferencing when I had him here in the flesh. He squeezed my hand as we made our way towards the door. With one arm full of files and the other hanging on for dear life to Edward's hand, I swallowed hard and walked into the room. All eyes turned and looked at us. I felt like someone about to be hung out to dry. I nodded and took a seat at the far end of the huge table.

Seth, God love him, sat to my immediate left, and Edward took the chair to my right. Jane's stink eye was making me really nervous. Edward whispered to ignore her, and Seth seemed to be having a glaring contest with her of his own. A wry smile crossed my face, and I tried to hide it behind my hand.

"I'll take it, love. Gerald and I have got this covered. Okay?"

"If you're sure," I told him gratefully.

Questions and accusations followed thick and fast. No sooner had Gerald told the rest what had happened than we were being accused of being incompetent and involved somehow. I noticed that Nathalie sat quietly, not jumping to our defence, but not joining in the verbal assault, either.

Edward bristled beside me, but as of yet, he had not spoken or defended us. I knew he was biding his time. Seth looked ready to commit murder, glaring at our accusers. He scribbled on his pad, what, I did not know. He was obviously getting something out of this. I reminded myself to ask him later.

A loud, "**Enough**!" made me jump. Edward was now stood beside his chair. He looked furious. The others fell silent, not daring to cross this incredibly sexy-when-angry man.

"I've heard enough of your diatribe. You all sit there, flinging accusations about, but not one of you has come up with anything to help us get to the bottom of this. Aro, if you think Jane and Alec are better equipped to handle this, then Bella, Seth and I will head home and leave you to it."

"No, Edward, I can't allow you to do that. You're needed here," Nathalie interrupted.

"Then come on, people, talk to us. Let us work together to get to the bottom of this. Only Bella and Gerald had those codes. The codes were exceptionally tricky to unravel. I suppose that's why it's taken them time to get in. Do any of you know anything we should know? Have any of you seen anything? Please, work with us on this. Bella was with Nathalie, Seth and I at dinner when the hit took place. Gerald was at home having dinner. I know Bella is not involved, you should, too. You're insulting her, Aro, by using the words you did earlier. She's worked incredibly hard since she came here. She's shown nothing but complete dedication and professionalism."

A few sniggers stopped him from going on. "Caius, Jane, please feel free to say what's on your minds."

"Well, of course you'd say she's not involved, Edward. She is, after all, sleeping with you. What else would you say if you didn't want her to cut you off?"

Now it was my turn to be pissed off. I touched Edward's hand to let him know that I would respond to this.

"Yes, Caius, Edward and I are in a relationship, but how does that make me a suspect? This was going on long before I ever arrived in France. I came here to help find out who was embezzling money from this firm. My private life has nothing to do with the case, other than the fact my partner is Edward. We've both worked our asses off since we've been here. We've spent more hours than I care to recall looking for clues, interviewing people, and all you and your brother have done is put obstacles in our way.

"I think you all need to take a long hard look at yourselves before accusing others. Like Edward said, we can always walk away. It's not what I like to do; leaving before the job is done, but I will not be accused of being involved, and I will not have my personal relationships being dragged through the mud because you all want a bit of gossip."

I sat down before I fell. Edward stroked my back and smiled at me. The glint in his eyes told me he was proud of my words.

"Look, everyone needs to calm the fuck down," Seth added. "I've only been here a day, and I can straight-off see there's a 'them and us' attitude here, and it has to stop. Everyone in this room is supposed to be fighting for the same thing. Anyone not can feel free to leave now."

Anxiously, everyone looked at everyone else, but no one moved. Maybe Seth had finally gotten through to them.

Murmured apologies started to go around the table. I did not join in. I had done nothing to apologise for. Gerald told everyone how he had gotten the alert and was too late to stop the threat by the time he got logged in. Aro and Caius questioned him, but not in an aggressive way. He explained how complex our security codes were and they all agreed.

Everyone was in agreement this time that we needed to be more watchful, look out for things out of the ordinary, no matter how small. Nathalie remained quiet, she'd said nothing since saying that we could not leave. As the meeting wrapped up, she headed over towards Seth.

"_Cherie_, I have a headache, I'll wait for you at home. Goodnight, Edward, Bella."

With that, she was gone.

"Is she okay?" I asked Seth.

"I really don't know, Bella. I thought she'd be stoked that I was here like last time, but she's different. Last night at the meal, she was like someone I didn't even recognise. I guess this is harder on her than we realised."

I nodded, but I didn't say anything else. Edward took my hand again and pulled me into his side.

"Do you have anything else you want to do today, or can we go home?" he asked me, nuzzling into my neck.

"Well, I was going to work on the new security codes with Gerald, but if he's okay waiting until morning…"

"I've locked the whole thing down for now. You, Seth and I are needed to get in. I'll fill you in on how and why later. Come on, let's go home, I think someone has a promise to fulfil," he said with a smirk. Well, I wasn't going to argue. I was definitely a woman of my word.

**So, more money has gone missing. We're getting closer to finding out who and why. Let me know your theories, I love reading them.**

**Until next time...**


	32. Chapter 32

**The Firm**

**It's late I know…hangs head in shame and waits for my punishment.**

**Continued thanks to everyone who is reading, and even bigger thanks to those who rec and nominate. Even though we didn't win on The Lemonade Stand, it's still a great honour to receive a nomination. I pop along there weekly to find out what's good to read. If you don't visit already, you should, some great work is to be found there.**

**So most of you think Nathalie is involved somehow. Mm, I wonder. Time I suppose will tell, but she's sure acting up. And yes, Edward was a dick in chapter 30. He's a little insecure and a man, we all know they don't think clearly with the big head most of the time. He loves her, and he's scared of how he feels. He's trying, please forgive him if he fucks up again.**

**Dollybigmomma, thank you, you inspire me to do better. **

**Chapter 31**

**Edward**

Days flew by, and the lockdown needing three of us to access anything had now changed to it being me, Bella and Gerald. Seth didn't feel right it being just the three of us and suggested Nathalie. She didn't want to be involved. In fact, she was adamant about it. Her strong objections had not gone unnoticed. Each of us had our own unique password. I stressed it was not to be shared. All three were needed now to gain access to even the most basic of information.

So far so good, as no other attempts had been made, but that didn't mean we were confident yet in how secure we were. The outside computer security firm I had brought in assured me doing it this way would stop the hackers in their tracks. Me, I wasn't so sure.

Seth continued to dig into everything and everyone. He was still living at Nathalie's, but for how long, who knew. I overheard him telling Bella how distant Nathalie had become, and when he'd tried to talk to her about it, she told him he was imagining things. Bella assured him he wasn't, and I would have to agree on that point wholeheartedly.

Nathalie was once again the flirtatious older women with me. She batted her eyelids and rubbed herself up against me almost daily. More than once, I caught Bella rolling her eyes at Nathalie's antics. Bella wasn't worried, though, unlike me, who still had pangs of insane jealousy when she was huddled with Seth. Deep down, I knew she loved me, and only me. Christ, she proved it to me in every move and word she said every single day, but still, my insecurities surfaced from time to time. I was trying to keep it under control, and I certainly never voiced my worries to Bella…no, not after last time. I kept my concerns to myself and let them eat away at me until I had her safe in my arms, and then all my worries floated away. Until the next time.

I had a meeting today with Nathalie, Aro and Jane. Bella was busy elsewhere. The outside security firm had come up with a possible lead to another computer. Bella was looking into it. Seth was busy still going through our reams and reams of interviews and case studies. He had his own file set up with his notes and findings. We were getting together this weekend to go through his thoughts so far.

The meeting with Aro and Jane was long and arduous. I answered questions about our findings to date without giving too much away. I stood my ground when Aro insisted Jane be allowed on board to help. She was one of our main suspects so far, so to have her working even closer was a big no-no. Aro conceded eventually, after what seemed like hours of arguing back and forth. Nathalie, of course, sat by my side, but she said little. She did, however, keep stroking my leg under the table, usually when I was in the middle of a heated discussion with Aro or Jane. At first, I thought she was just trying to reassure me, but when her hand remained a little too long and slid up, I began to feel uncomfortable.

As discreetly as I could, I removed her hand that was now resting on my leg, just above mid-thigh. What the fuck was she up to? Her almost sickly grin as I moved her hand confirmed to me that we were once again back to a full-on assault of my body. Only this time, I was in a relationship. She knew I was not interested before, so why the hell would she start this up again when she knew damn well how I felt about Bella? Hell, I'd even thought for a moment that she felt something for Seth. Poor bastard, if he only knew what she was really like.

I glared at her and turned away, letting her know not to touch me. As the meeting came to an end, she lingered behind.

"Edward, why do you fight it?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "What am I fighting, Nathalie?"

She moved closer until she was stood before me, maybe only a couple of feet away. I think she believed she looked alluring. Did I dare tell her I felt sick to be this close to her and her cloying perfume? And her face was hideous with all the crap plastered on it trying to mask her age.

"This…" she gestured between us, pouting a little, "The chemistry we have is undeniable, we could be so good together, _Mon_ _Cherie_."

"You're seriously deluded, Nathalie. I thought we'd moved past all this...awkwardness. Look, I love Bella, I'm head over fucking heels for her, and luckily for me, she feels the same about my sorry arse. But even if I wasn't in love with her, there would be nothing between us, Nathalie, not now, not ever. Comprehend? Now, if you're done with your ridiculous insinuations, I have work to do."

I walked passed her, and as I approached the door, I heard her laugh. She thought this was funny?

"Later, _Mon_ _Cherie_," she called, laughing a quite scary hyena-type laugh that made a chill shoot up my spine as I quickly made my escape.

Bella looked up, startled by the sound of my sudden appearance as I burst through the door. My face must have told her something was wrong, because she was on her feet and moving towards me in a flash. I closed the door and leaned back against it. I felt like a wimp, a coward, and I hated that Natalie had made me feel like this.

"Edward, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Bella's hands moved to capture my face. It felt wonderful.

"I am now," I kissed her passionately.

Breathless, we pulled apart. "Not that I'm complaining, but what have I done to deserve that?" she asked still looking at me concerned.

"Everything, you're everything to me, you know that, right?"

"Of course, now come and sit down and tell me what's wrong."

"Nathalie."

"Nathalie?"

"She's a fucking psycho. I mean it, Bella. All through the meeting, she was touching me. At first, I thought she was just trying to calm me down when Aro suggested Jane come on board," her eyebrows rose at this morsel of information, "But then her hand stayed on my leg a little too long. It made me feel uncomfortable, so I moved it and she smirked. After the meeting, she sort of propositioned me again. Well, not in so many words, but you get the gist."

"What did she say exactly? It must've been bad to have you so wound up."

"Something like 'why do I fight it.' Apparently, we have amazing chemistry. She's fucking deluded, and I told her so. Somehow, though, I still don't think she gets it. She's either certifiably nuts or thick-skinned as fuck, because I gave it to her straight, Bella, I swear, and still she laughed like a lunatic when I walked away."

"Edward, I'm worried about Seth. She's not being truthful with him, either. He's our friend, and I don't want to see him hurt. I think we should speak to him, tell him what you just told me, and let him make an informed decision. He already thinks she's acting strangely, so I'm sure nothing you tell him will surprise him."

"I don't know, Bella, but he seems pretty keen on her. It's not every day you give up everything you know to come to another country unless you think the person you're coming for is special. I know I came because you mean everything to me, and I think Seth has done the same."

"I thought that at first, but since she's started acting out, I think he's seen a different side of her. He seems more cautious, guarded almost. Let's invite him over to the hotel for a drink and see how the land lies."

"If you're sure."

"Well, I'm not, but hopefully we will be after spending some time with him. Give him a call and see if he'll come...on his own, of course."

She watched and listened intently as I made the call. Seth was spending the day shadowing Gerald, looking for clues there. He readily agreed to meet us for a bite to eat and a catch up. He told me a break from Nathalie and her hormones would do him good. We agreed to meet at seven o'clock in the bar downstairs.

Back in our suite, we decided to shower together. Bella rolled her eyes and laughed at me when I suggested innocently that it would conserve water. An intimate half hour followed. We did not have sex, but holy hell, lathering up and gently caressing while washing the one you loved all over was a really sensual experience. I was as hard as a rock all the time my hands were in contact with her body. I had no sooner calmed down when it was my turn to experience the erotic shower. I could not help moaning as her hands gently moved over my skin. The feeling was incredible, with the added feel of the lather from the soap. She lingered on my cock and balls, and I was done. Unable to stop, I came in her hands. She smiled up at me and kissed me gently.

"I wondered how long you'd last," she chuckled rinsing her hands clean.

"I very nearly came when I was touching you, baby, so when you paid a little extra attention to my nether regions, the result was inevitable. Thank you for doing that, by the way. I owe you, and I'll put that right later on."

She was wrapped in a huge fluffy towel, and I could not resist pulling her into my arms. She smelled divine, so I took advantage and nuzzled into her neck, taking in her scent.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, baby. You'd better let me get dressed, though, or we'll never get downstairs to meet with Seth, and I think he might need our friendship right now." I kissed her again, but nodded in agreement.

Moving away from her hurt to the point I actually felt physical pain when we were not connected in some way. I stood and watched as this glorious creature that was mine got dressed before me. Even as she wobbled a little as she stepped into a pair of tight black jeans, I revelled in how I had gotten so lucky.

Hand in hand, we made our way to the bar area where we were meeting Seth. He was seated at the bar with what looked like a large whiskey in his hand. As we approached, he turned and smiled. The smile looked forced, though, and that was so unlike my old friend.

"Can I get you two a drink?" he asked pulling Bella in for a hug and then me.

"Beer, please, and a wine and lemonade for Bella," I told him as we took our seats at the side of him. "The table is booked for seven thirty, I hope that's okay."

Small talk followed, and we all seemed to want to avoid the massive elephant in the room. I decided to wait until we sat down to eat to tell him what Nathalie had been like today. Our waiter told us our table was ready, and so we made our way across to the private booth in a small alcove.

After we all ordered, Bella squeezed my leg; I supposed indicating that I should say something. However, before I could speak, she did.

"Seth, how are things with Nathalie?"

"What do you mean?" he responded cautiously.

"Well, you've not seemed yourself for a few days, and today, well, Edward will tell you about that, but we're worried about you. Are you okay?"

"Well, being here this time is certainly different than when I was here before. I mean this time I have to work, we do have a mystery to solve. But I guess you mean things between Nat and me? Well, let me tell you that the woman is totally different from the woman I spent time with last visit. This one is crazy, and I mean _crazy_. Now, I don't mean to embarrass you, Bella, but the woman is sex mad. Don't get me wrong, I love it and all, but even I'm struggling to keep up with her." I could not help but snigger at Seth's words. "She's like a woman possessed, and whilst at first it may have seemed great, now I find it all rather cold and clinical. She's changed so much, and it kind of scares me."

"Seth," I decided now was the time to tell him what had happened earlier, "Nathalie came on to me again today. I really thought we were past all that crap now that Bella and I are together and you're here, but no. She said I shouldn't fight it. I mean like I would ever go there," I rolled my eyes and Seth shot me a look. "Oh, sorry, mate. Anyway, when I told Bella, she thought you should know."

He seemed to take in what I'd said before responding.

"You might be surprised that what you've just said doesn't surprise me. I also think she's seeing someone else. I've entered the room a few times and overheard her on the phone. She always ends the call quickly. I'm sorry to say this, but I don't trust her anymore, and I was thinking of asking you, Bella, if I could move into your old apartment while I'm still here."

This question shocked me. Bella gave her agreement readily. I did not realise things were quite that bad. Now I felt really bad for him, fucking Nathalie Oberlauge. Bella and Seth continued to talk, I sat and half listened, wondering what the hell Nathalie was up to.

"Edward. Edward? Are you okay?" Bella asked rubbing my leg a little.

I could not help smiling at her before I nodded that I was.

"I was just thinking, love. So, Seth, you think Nathalie is seeing another man? Other than the phone calls, what else do you have?"

"Well, at first I thought it was just me being in work mode all the time. You know, looking for things that aren't really there. Then the quickly-finished phone calls seemed to multiply, and now she's taken to disappearing on me first thing in the morning. Three times this week, I've woken up to find her gone. She must've slipped out while I was asleep. For all I know, she left the moment I was pushing to z's."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Bella asked him, her face full of concern.

"Oh, you bet I have, and it caused a right rumpus. Of course, according to her, it's me who's jealous of everyone, Edward included. I see all her friends as threats. There's something not right, something is definitely off with her. It's like she's had a personality transplant since the last time I was here. Plus, there's all the sex. It seems like that's all she's interested in, clawing at me all the time. It makes me sick now thinking about it. This new man, whoever he is, is certainly not fulfilling that side of her needs. I wonder if the poor bastard knows she has me living with her, for now at least."

"Any ideas who he is?" I added.

"Well, I've been thinking about that, and I think it must be someone close to her, from work maybe. I've not heard a name yet, but she's back at the office early, so he must live close. I really don't care about who she's seeing anymore. At first, I was like, what the fuck, but now, seeing this side of her, I really don't like her."

"We're sorry, Seth…one, for you going through all this, and two, for dragging you over here."

"No worries, man. Look, you two are my friends, I want to help. Edward, please watch yourself with her. She's likely to try to get you on your own, you know, make another pass at you. Be careful."

"I think it's time for us to have a talk with Ms. Oberlauge. This change in her is very worrying. It makes me wonder what else she's up to. Edward, do you think it's possible she's involved in the whole embezzlement stuff?" Bella asked me innocently.

Now that it was out in the open, the thought would not go away. Was she involved? And if so, how, and who was helping her?

**So has the penny finally dropped, or are we way off suspecting Nathalie? Lots of ideas coming from you about who is her accomplice. I wonder if any of you will be correct.**

**Huge thanks to all who read and review. I see the number of readers who favourite and alert this story grow every day. Thank you to whoever is spreading the word.**

**Couple of story rec's now.**

**The Agreement by Gemgirl65 - a wip, but plenty to go at.**

**Wisp by Cris – a wip, but again, plenty to go at and heart-breaking.**

**Until next time... **

**Apologies now as the remaining chapters will be subject to delays. Bear with me, please.**


	33. Chapter 33

**The Firm**

**So, once again I start my intro by grovelling. No reason, really, other than my mojo has packed up and moved out. It might have come back to visit to allow me to write this chapter to some sort of good standard, but I'll let you all be the judge of that.**

**Thanks once again to everyone who reads and reviews. I'm still astounded by the number of new readers/reviewers/favs and alerts each week. You truly blow me away. Thank you.**

**Dollybigmomma, there really are no words. Thank you.**

**Chapter 32**

**BELLA**

Over the next few days, I pondered long and hard how to approach the whole Nathalie situation. Luckily for me and my sanity, Edward had been out of the office since she had last tried to assault him, either helping Seth move his stuff into my apartment or meeting with the new security firm. It meant I was busier than ever keeping an eye on things at Nathalie's in their absence.

I spent time observing Nathalie's behaviour from afar. I didn't want her guessing we were suspicious of her and putting up the shutters even more. I casually found myself wandering past her office multiple times in a day to see if I could see or hear anything untoward. She spoke to me occasionally, usually asking about Edward's whereabouts. I almost slugged her one yesterday when she asked me to tell him "she missed him." Like that was going to happen.

The end of the month was fast approaching, and I knew Gerald would be needing access to the company accounts. That meant he would need Edward and I present to log in. I would wait for him to ask before I offered our services. He'd seemed a little off lately, always "too busy" or "just going for a meeting" whenever I needed to ask him about something work-related. In all honesty, it was starting to really piss me off. I had chewed Edward's ear off on more than one occasion about it. The ever-patient, with me at least, Mr. Cullen listened quietly, nodded where it was appropriate to do so, and pressed his lips into my hair in support.

I decided to talk to Nathalie. We really needed to clear the air. We were supposed to be working toward a common goal. Had discretion not been such a high priority to her, she could have bloody well hired a private investigator for this, or gotten the police involved, but she had insisted she wanted it kept under wraps to avoid scandal or negative publicity. At least that was her story. I was seriously beginning to wonder if it wasn't all just a ploy to get Edward. She was paying us handsomely, though, and we would eventually find out who was compromising the company, and then nail their arses in court. Surely she could see that all her silly carrying on over Edward was pointless, and if she really wanted this mystery solved, it was actually a hindrance.

Determined, I set off towards Nathalie's office. My stomach was a little tight, as I was nervous. She was quite intimidating in her own way. I had thought we had become friends, but her recent behaviour towards Edward made me see that she did not care about anyone but herself. She was acting like a pathetic over-the-hill rich bitch who thought the world owed her a favour.

Her door was slightly ajar, and I was a little undecided how best to proceed. Should I barge in after knocking, or skulk around quietly and see if I could pick up anything that might be useful? I decide on the latter. Looking like an idiot, I plastered myself to the wall and crept slowly towards the open door. I could hear voices, so I knew she was not alone.

I recognised Gerald's as the other voice inside Nathalie's office. They were talking in French, but then why wouldn't they be? I could not follow it at all. I picked out the odd "_Cherie_" and "_Amour_" in the conversation, which surprised me a little. What did I do now? I decided to be bold, take advantage of them not knowing I was here, and walk right in to see with my own eyes how they were with each other. If she was calling him "_Cherie_" and throwing the word "love" around, I could not wait to see if she was playing poor Gerald, too.

With a deep breath, I pulled myself off the wall and walked purposely towards the door. With a quick rap, I walked in and smiled at the sight before me.

Gerald was seated in Nathalie's huge green leather chair. Nathalie was casually half on top of her desk and half on top of Gerald. Her hands were clearly caressing his chest. She did not even move when I spoke. She merely turned her head and rolled her eyes.

"Is there something I can do for you, Isabella?" she asked with a sneer in her voice.

Gerald at least had the decency to look mortified and quickly slipped out from under her.

"Nathalie, Gerald. Sorry to…um...disturb you. I can see now why things between you and Seth didn't work out, Nathalie."

"This has nothing to do with him, Isabella. Now, did you want something in particular?" she sneered once again.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Edward," I left the implication in the air.

"What about Edward?"

"Oh, come now, Nathalie, do you really think he wouldn't tell me that you've been trying to get it on with him again at every turn?"

Gerald's eyes nearly popped out of his head at this snippet of information. This was clearly something Nathalie had not shared with him.

"He wants me, Bella, he always has. When he was here in Paris before, he resisted, and then he left. He may have come back under the ruse of protecting you, but it's me he wants."

I could not stop myself from laughing out loud. God, the woman was delusional. Poor Gerald looked mortified at being caught out and hearing Nathalie's obvious fantasy land diatribe.

"Nathalie, I can assure you that Edward is committed to me one hundred percent. He never has, nor will he ever want you in any way, shape or form. Did you know your cougar-like tendencies are the talk of our Seattle office? Edward, Emmett and Jasper all dreaded dealing with you because of your over-the-top advances. Grow the fuck up and have some respect. If not for Edward, then at least do it for yourself. Your behaviour is absurd. You know, when I came here, I thought we'd become friends. I liked you, thought you were just misunderstood. Now I can see you even had me fooled. Gerald, you deserve better, she's only using you, for what I've yet to work out. Please do yourself a favour and walk away."

"Bella, Bella, Bella...Gerald here will never leave me. I own him; he craves me and my affection. He's nothing without me." She looked over at him with obvious distaste written all over her heavily made-up face.

Gerald did not speak; he simply walked past me shaking his head and closed the door. The silence was huge. Nathalie calmly walked around her desk and sat down, crossing her legs before me. I think I was supposed to be intimidated. This time I was not. I could see she was nothing but a sad, desperate aging woman, grasping for something she would never find. I turned my back to her, shaking my head as I left.

Edward was in my office and looked up as I entered.

"Hey, beautiful, I was wondering where you could be." He walked over to me and pulled me into his arms.

"You want to know what I found out today?" I asked him, knowing he would be more than a little curious now.

He pulled me over to my desk and sat me on the corner, standing between my legs. It was an intimate position, but I knew right now that sex was the last thing on either of our minds. Edward, like me, was driven by the need to succeed. I was sure he would realize that what I had learned might be key to our investigation. He stared into my eyes, asking me to tell him.

"Come on, beautiful, I'm growing old here," he whined, and I laughed at his pained expression.

"So, I decided to confront Nathalie about her treatment of you…"

"You did?" his eyebrows rose a little at the thought of me wanting to protect him.

"I did. You're mine, she needed to be reminded of that, and I was kind of in the mood to do it."

"I love it when you get all jealous and protective of me, Bella, it makes me hard." I slapped his chest playfully before lowering my hand to check out his now impressive hard-on.

"So I see, Cullen. So, do you want to know this, or should I call Seth and get him in here instead?" He laughed and kisses me gently, backing off with his hands held up in submission. "As I approached Nathalie's office, her door was slightly ajar, and she wasn't alone. I decided to stay quiet for a while and see what I could learn. It didn't do much good. They spoke in French, so I couldn't keep up. I did, however, realise her companion was Gerald." His eyebrows rose again at this snippet of information. I continued. "I decided to knock and go in. You'll never guess what I saw," I tried to get him to play along.

"Come on, Bella; how the hell can I even begin to guess?"

"Try."

"Gerald was naked and tied to the chair while Nathalie whipped him with a long leather cat-of-nine tails. Seriously, I really have no idea. Please, for fucks' sake, if this might help and mean we can go home, tell me. Please, baby?"

"Well, to say you're not even trying to guess, you weren't too far off in regards to Gerald." His mouth formed a perfect "O" in shock. "There was no nakedness, but she was half on the desktop and half on top of Gerald, stroking his chest. It was a very lover-like scene, I can tell you. You can close your mouth now, Edward," I added evilly.

"You're fucking kidding me, right? Please tell me she's not diddling Gerald the finance man."

Responding to his now screwed-up face, I told him, "I can neither confirm nor deny, all I can tell you is what I saw, and it was in no way an awkward assault like she does with you. Oh, and I did hear her call him _Cherie_, and he said something about amour. That's love in French, right?"

"It is. So, what did they say and do when they saw you?"

"He was mortified and got out from under her as quick as he could. She then proceeded to tell me how you were here in Paris for her and not me. I put her right on that. She's totally delusional, fucking mad as a hatter. I think we need to think about going home, Edward. She doesn't really want nor need our help; I think she has other motives for having us here, and I'd be willing to wager she just wants to cause trouble between us. Luckily, we're stronger than she thinks, and her continued pursuing of you is ridiculous."

"We can't go home, Bella, we have a contract. Look, if Nathalie's involved, then Aro and Caius deserve our help. Do you think she might have Gerald working against us?"

"He doesn't seem like he has the balls for it if I'm being honest. However, if he's been her lover for some time, then perhaps I've misjudged him. He'll need us to log on either tomorrow or the day after, with it being month's end. It'll be a tense time for all of us. Do you think we should speak to him before we give him access to the accounts?"

"Let me speak to Seth, he's going to love this…not. This will be a right knock to his ego. He's going to want blood after being humiliated like this, you do realise this."

I listened quietly while Edward explained to Seth what I had told him. I found myself gnawing on my bottom lip, something I had not done recently in my contentment with life around Edward. It was a clear sign that I was getting stressed.

Edward had noticed my gnawing, too, and after he was done on the phone, he walked over to me and swiftly removed my lips from my teeth with his hand.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here. I love you, Bella. We'll get to the bottom of this, and then we can go home. Seth thinks it's certainly possible that Gerald is in cahoots with Nathalie. He sees him as her puppet, nothing else. She might be using sex," he shuddered as he said this, "to manipulate him, but that's his choice. And if he's, pardon the pun, decided to get into bed with Nathalie for nefarious endeavours, then he'll get everything he deserves. Seth is coming in. He wants us to arrange a meeting with Gerald."

After a long hug and an even longer tender kiss, we parted so Edward could get in touch with Gerald.

I sat and waited as Edward made the call.

"Gerald, it's Edward, can you come to Bella's office for a meeting in about an hour?" He listened before responding. "Sure, ninety minutes is fine. Oh, and by the way, bring the figures. It's the end of the month, so we might as well kill two birds with one stone."

**So, Nathalie and Gerald? No wonder Edward shuddered. Just not right, is it. What do you think he'll have to say for himself? Seth is going to eat him alive.**

**Until next time...**


	34. Chapter 34

**The Firm**

**Wow, so many new readers and reviewers. Welcome to you all and enjoy the ride. Thanks to Evilnat who once again rec'd this over on The Lemonade Stand. Such a huge honour, I pop over there weekly to get new stories to read. If you don't already, I suggest you do, I promise it'll be worth it.**

**Story rec by TheFicChick - **_**Departures**_**. It's complete. Just ten chapters long, but I loved it. Best story I've read in a while. Head on over and let me know what you think.**

**So this story is winding up to its conclusion. I love how you are all so invested in the outcome. Once it's done, there'll be no epilogue or follow-on story. It'll be just be done, onward and upward.**

**Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Dollybigmomma, whose sharp red pen makes sense of my drivel. You're a star!**

**Chapter 33**

**BELLA**

It was hard to tell Seth what I had witnessed in Nathalie's office. I did not pretend to believe that Seth and Nathalie's relationship was true love like mine and Edward's, but I'd thought it had meant more…obviously not. Poor love, he'd cringed and flinched more than once as I carefully explained what I had seen. Edward rubbed my back all the while I was talking; reassuring me he was there for me.

A strong black coffee later, it had been decided that Seth would not stay around for the meeting with Gerald. His fists had flexed a number of times, and Edward had enough to concentrate on without having to pull Seth off from beating Gerald into pulp. No, he'd find something else to do in another office. It wasn't like there wasn't plenty that needed to be done.

Gerald arrived right on time. He looked suitably nervous and spoke to Edward in French, never even looking at me. I thought it rude and decided to tell him as much.

"So, Gerald, how long have you and Nathalie been an item?" I asked him, trying to make my enquiry sound as casual as possible.

Colour flooded his face, and he stuttered and stammered his response in broken English, clearly flustered.

"Since shortly after...err…Marcus died. We were together before they ever married, way back in our youth. She's the love of my life."

"More fool, you," I muttered mostly under my breath. Edward gave me a sharp look, and I glared back at him. "Did you carry on your affair while she was with Seth?" I dared to ask. This time Edward rolled his eyes, giving up on his attempts at getting me to be more subtle.

"Miss Swan, Nathalie and I have had each other always. Lovers come and go; she and I are the constant. I have nothing to fear from the young Mr. Clearwater. She always comes back to me. Even had she been successful in wooing your Edward, it would not have lasted. She always craves more, but they're never enough, and she eventually comes home to Gerald."

He sounded pathetic. I'd really thought he deserved better, but hearing this, I really didn't care now how badly she treated him. He was a fool just asking for it.

"She was never going to win Edward over, Gerald. It was all in her mind. Even before Edward and I became a couple, he wasn't interested. He told her this over and over, and yet still she pursued him. Her cougar tendencies are pathetic and demeaning. You should have more self-respect than to tolerate her behaviour."

He just shrugged and opened up his laptop. I guess there was no accounting for taste, or rather lack thereof.

I gathered from the conversation that we were going to access the accounts now so that the monthly figures could be updated. We, of course, were all needed, as each of us had our own password, and all three had to be entered.

Gerald logged in first and entered his password, and then he gave up his seat for Edward to sit down and log in. Finally, it was my turn. The page had three security boxes. The two already completed held only a series of asterisks. If this wasn't secure, I didn't know what would be. I typed in my password and pressed enter. The accounts pages started to load before my eyes, so I moved the laptop over to where Gerald was now seated.

Page after page of figures were input and saved. When it was time to log out, Edward and I witnessed Gerald sign out. The screen closed down completely before he shut off the computer altogether. He gathered his belongings and made to leave.

"If you knew anything that could help with this investigation, you'd come forward with it, wouldn't you, Gerald?" Edward asked him.

Gerald glanced at us, and a curt nod of his head was all we got before the door closed behind him.

"Well, that went well," Edward stated sarcastically.

"Is that aimed at me?"

"Well, subtle could never be your middle name, Bella, not after that. We might've gotten more from him if you'd have let me ask him the questions."

"Look, I know what I saw, and I wanted clarification. I got it, didn't I? He admitted his involvement with Nathalie is a long-term thing. Just be grateful, Edward. You managed to resist her charms or you could've been one in a long line."

"Nice, Bella, real nice." He slammed the door as he walked out on me, leaving me more than a little pissed off, but also really fed up to be arguing with him over someone like her again.

I was gnawing on my bottom lip when the door opened and Seth strolled in.

"What have you said to Edward, Swan? Because it sure looks like he's pissed with someone, and my guess is you."

"Why would it be me?" I asked innocently.

"Well, he was cursing and swearing, and I'm sure I heard your name crop up alongside words like 'drives me crazy' and 'who the hell does she think she is' thrown in for good measure. I thought he was on about Nat at first, but when I suggested that, he swore at me and flounced out, slamming the door. Someone got Edward's panties in a twist, and I'm betting that's you."

"I may or may not have insinuated something he wasn't very happy with. I didn't mean anything, really. I guess he took it the wrong way. He'll calm down soon enough. It's no biggy."

"Only you, Swan, only you. So, what happened with Gerald?"

"Are you sure you want to know? It's not good."

"I'm a big boy, Swan, hit me with it."

Over a strong coffee, I told Seth what Gerald had told me, and he didn't seem too upset. He shook his head a couple of times, though, and held his jaw a while, too, but that was as bad as he got.

We sat in silence for a while. I wondered to myself where Edward was hiding. Maybe he had gone back to the hotel for the day. I pondered on whether I should try to call him. I decided to leave it until the end of the day, and if he didn't show by then, I'd call and see where he was.

Five thirty came around sooner than I would have liked, and still there was no word from Edward. Seth had tried his mobile a couple of times, but it went to voicemail. I decided not to bother calling, as he obviously did not want to speak to me or anyone else.

Seth dropped me off via the security car at the hotel. He walked me in and saw me to the lift. I kissed his cheek goodbye when the door opened to take me up to the suite.

It was quiet inside. I called out Edward's name, but there was no reply. He was not here. Now I was starting to worry.

By eight o'clock I was frantic, and not just a little pissed off at his lack of consideration. It had been a passing comment for fuck's sake. I mean, I didn't accuse him of anything. What the hell was he playing at, and where the fuck was he?

I called Seth to see if he had heard anything.

"Hey, have you heard from Edward?"

"No, is he still not back? Have you rung him?"

"No, he's not here, and no, I haven't tried to call since you only got voicemail."

"Look, Bella, I don't know what you said to him, but he's obviously really pissed off. Ring him, leave him a message telling him you're worried, and if you haven't heard from him by ten o'clock, I'll come back over and wait with you. Okay?"

"Okay."

I hung up and stared at my phone. Stupid adorable man, I hadn't meant the whole resisting Nathalie shit as an insult, nor was I implying he'd had to struggle hard. Men! I decided to do as Seth told me and pressed one on my speed dial. His phone was apparently turned off, so it went straight to voicemail. I left a message.

"Hey, it's me. I'm home and you're not here. Just call and let me know you're okay at least. I'm getting a little worried. Come home soon...please. I love you, Edward."

I closed the phone again and stared at it.

Two hours later and nothing, I was beside myself. Tears rolled down my face, and I was unable to stop them. Seth arrived as promised, and I collapsed into his arms. Logic told me Edward was okay, just avoiding me, but what if I was wrong? What if he was hurt? All this worrying made me feel even worse, and I started sobbing and hugged myself hard, rocking back and forth on the chair.

Seth left Edward yet another message. This time he told him of the state I was in and instructed him to get his arse back home now. It put the fear of God into me, so I hoped it had the same effect on Edward.

I must have dozed off, because the room was quiet when I woke, and I automatically headed to the bedroom to see if he was there. He wasn't, of course he wasn't, and Seth was nowhere to be found, either.

Just as panic set in again, the door to the suite opened and Seth staggered in, dragging an inebriated Edward with him.

"Bella, a little help here, please," Seth groaned. I stood and stared at Edward. I did not know whether to laugh, cry, or slap the bloody hell out of him.

As best we could, we got him up the stairs and onto the bed. Seth went back down while I struggled to get him out of his clothes. He fought me mostly, giggling like a child when I tried to open his trousers. He pushed my hand away, telling me, "No, that's Bella's." I smirked, but wanted to slap him silly for worrying me so. In the end, I left him partially dressed in his half-opened shirt and boxers. I put a large glass of water and two painkillers by the bed for when he woke up. I stood and watched him for a few minutes, just to make sure he was comfy. Not that he deserved it. I smiled to myself when he talked a little more, his eyes closed and clearly out of it.

"Love you, Isabella, only you. You were the one hard to resist. I'm sorry, baby."

He turned over and started to snore loudly. I headed back down to see where Seth was.

"Where did you find him?" I asked, finding Seth in the kitchen.

"He was in the bar downstairs the whole time. The bartender rang here shortly after you fell asleep and asked me to come get him. Apparently, he drank a whole bottle of JD. He was hugging the empty bottle when I walked in. François behind the bar said he'd been morose all evening. Didn't talk much, just drank and drank. You know the rest. Oh, and he said some funny stuff in the lift on the way up…something about you being hard to resist, and not if his life depended on it. I take it that was what you had words about?"

"It was so stupid, Seth. I got stuck into Gerald about Nathalie, and Edward thought I was too aggressive. I might've said that he got off lightly being able to resist her charms. I didn't mean anything by it. He took it the wrong way, obviously."

"Well, he's going to be a delight in the morning. Rather you than me. I'm off. Pick you both up on the way in?"

"Yeah, shall we say eight o'clock, in view of Edward likely being under the weather? Oh, and Seth, thank you for coming here to be with me. You're a good friend. More than I deserved tonight." I hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek goodnight.

"Look after him, Bella. He's a good bloke, the best, actually. He's messed up because he's new at all this relationship stuff. Go easy on him. I think the hangover might be punishment enough."

I leaned my back against the door and breathed a sigh of relief that he was home and safe. The rest we could deal with in the morning.

As quietly as I could, I turned off all the lights and made my way up the stairs. I decided to sleep in the spare room tonight, not because I was angry, but because his snoring was loud, and he seriously stank of JD. I needed to get some rest, too.

I lay in the spare bed and tossed and turned. Hours seemed to go by without me even closing my eyes. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only a little after two o'clock in the morning. I heard him call my name.

"Bella, Bella? Oh, god, no. Baby, where are you?"

I flew out of bed and rushed into the next room. He was laid back down, tangled in the covers. He was asleep again. He must have woken up disoriented; one, because of the booze, and two, because I was not in bed with him. I sat at the side of the bed and ran my fingers through his hair. He moaned like he always did, at least he knew I was close.

"I'm here, go back to sleep," I told him quietly.

"Don't leave me, Bella. I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry. I need you, please?"

"Shush...go to sleep, Edward. We'll talk in the morning."

After making sure he was fully asleep again, I retreated to my bed for the night. I left the nightlight on in case he woke up again. I went out like a light this time.

My eyes felt like holes in the snow when my alarm started to beep. I rolled over to press snooze and came face-to-face with my normally adorably handsome, but this time adorably scruffed-up, hung-over man.

Sometime during the night, he had apparently come looking for me and gotten into my bed. I was pleased to see he had managed to take off his shirt. He looked like hell. He still stank, and he was sleeping like the dead. He didn't move when I crawled out from under his arms and legs.

The hot shower felt wonderful against my tired achy body. Wrapped in only a towel, I headed back into the bedroom. His eyes were open, and he was looking right at me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I was an idiot and I'm sorry. I panicked in the night when I woke up and you weren't in bed. I thought you'd left me. Then I saw the water and tablets. Thank you, I needed those. I'm sorry for worrying you. I hope you didn't mind me crawling into this bed with you. I needed to be near you."

"Edward, it's fine. You smell rank by the way. I only stayed in here because you were snoring really loudly, and the smell coming off you was, well...yuck. I made sure you were okay before I left. We can sort this out properly when you feel a hundred percent better. Seth is picking us on route at eight o'clock if you're fit enough."

"The tablets helped, I think. I'll be okay after a shower and something to eat. Can I take you to breakfast before Seth comes?"

"No, you just get ready. Have a shower and see how you feel. I'll make us some coffee and toast, and then if you're up to it, we can eat and talk. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. I'll just go and shave and have a shower. I'll be down shortly."

"Um, leave the scruff, I like the scruff. Just get rid of the smell."

I left him to it and headed down to start breakfast.

Some fifteen minutes later, arms snaked around my waist, and a trimmed scruff nuzzled into my neck. I could not help but moan at the affect he had on me, even when I was supposed to be pissed at him.

"I love you, Isabella Swan, please know that above all else. I know I'm an idiot, and you have every right to be pissed at me right now, but know that I'll do everything I can to make my stupid idiotic behaviour up to you. I promise I'll never overreact like that again."

Pushing myself closer to him, I turned in his arms.

"So now we both know you're an idiot. You admit you overreacted?"

"I did, and I'm sorry. I'm kind of new at this whole relationship thing. I'm bound to fuck up periodically. I'm sorry I worried you. I just listened to all the voicemails. Seth is ready to hang me out to dry, too."

"He was great last night. He got you back up here when you passed out. He found you in the bar cuddling the empty JD bottle. You should thank him when you see him."

"I will. So, am I sort of forgiven? Please be gentle with your answer, because my head is rather delicate still."

"It serves you right. I'll consider all you've said and get back to you later today. Now, it's seven o'clock. Go sit down and have something to eat." I batted him away playfully, relieved that he was okay, that we would be okay.

Breakfast was quieter than usual, Edward's delicate condition did not allow for small talk. I could not help but hide a wry smile when he got up a little too quickly and had to steady himself on the table.

A loud knocking on the suite door surprised me. It was barely a quarter till eight so I knew we weren't late. I peeked out and saw who it was, opening the door. Seth swept in larger than life as I opened the door.

"We've got him! The bastard tried it again last night, but he failed. Guys, the new security system worked! It shut that motherfucker down before he could get his hands on more. Come on, come on. I'll fill you in on the way!"

**So, last chapter coming up.**

**Any thoughts on who the motherfucker is and how they caught him?**

**Until next time...**


	35. Chapter 35

**The Firm**

**I hope this was worth the wait.**

**It's been a blast, and it's almost done. Thank you all for sharing the ride.**

**I'm still astounded that every time I look, we're getting new readers. The list of alerts and favourites just keeps growing and it humbles me. Thank you all.**

**Now, a very special thank you to Dollybigmomma, her guidance and patience, not to mention her rather large red felt-tip pen, are just amazing. I cannot thank her enough for all her help with this story. Thanks, Dolly, sending you loads of hugs from across the pond.**

**Chapter 34**

**BELLA**

Seth was excited about having caught the mole we had been chasing for months and was bouncing off the walls, almost quite literally. He hounded both Edward and I until we were out of the duplex and heading towards the lift.

"Seth, calm down for Christ sakes. You're making me feel sick!" Edward yelled, pinching his nose. My nether regions twitched with his actions.

A wry smile crossed my face at Edward's continued suffering. It served him right, poor love. Feeling a little bad for my thoughts, I stroked his arm as we entered the lift. His eyes met mine, and I could see he was dying for more information, but his hangover was preventing him from being too enthusiastic about it. He was so beautiful, even if on this particular morning, he was a little green around the gills.

The doors of the lift closed slowly behind us. Seth was grinning like the cat that had gotten the cream. The silence was creepy, and I was just not used to either of these men being so quiet.

"Are you going to tell us what you know then?" I asked Seth quietly.

Edward took my hand and gave it a small squeeze as we waited for Seth to answer me.

"Oh, I think I'll wait until we reach the office. I will tell you this, though; you're never going to believe it. I certainly didn't at first. I was like no way, there must be a mistake. Just you two wait and see."

Then he shut up and went back to bouncing off the walls.

No amount of coaxing and persuasion could get him to tell us more. In the car, it was still quiet, too quiet. Edward was still not quite with us, gazing out of the window while taking deep breaths. Seth was sat grinning like he was not complete of a full shilling. It seemed I would be the only normal person around at Nathalie's today.

When we arrived at the office, Henri was stood waiting. He looked all stoic; in fact, he almost resembled a statue. Today, he did not crack a smile as our car pulled up outside the office entrance. I wondered for a moment what the matter with him was. When Seth nodded his way as we exited the car, I gathered he, at least, was in the loop. Or so it appeared.

Edward grabbed hold of my arm and stopped me from walking towards the foyer. I turned and looked at him, my eyes questioning his.

"You okay?" I asked him, concerned he really might have been unwell.

"I'll live. Look, whatever happens or doesn't happen here today, I need to know we're okay. I won't be able to live with myself if I've done something to jeopardise our relationship. Like I said, Bella, I'm so sorry, I'm an idiot. I love you, okay? I just want you and me to be okay. We could be going home soon, and I'd like to think we'll be going back as a couple," he looked down at his feet, obviously worried about what I was going to say in response.

I was silent for a few seconds, maybe a bit longer than I'd meant to be, because poor Edward looked positively sick now. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I took a step closer and looked into his beautiful green eyes.

"For someone so intelligent, you sure are stupid, Edward Cullen. I love you. I love us and our relationship, warts and all. Okay, so from time to time, we'll get things wrong; it doesn't mean it's the end. I hope we're stronger than that, and that we can work through any difficulties." His eyes seemed to glaze over, or at least fill with what I assumed were tears. I could not resist teasing him a bit. "So, if I kiss you right now, will you throw up on me?"

He laughed and pulled me even closer.

"Please kiss me. I need you to kiss me. I promise to keep my up-chuck reflex under control."

Standing on my tiptoes, I pressed my lips to his and kissed him slowly, placing my hands at either side of his face. Sparks reached my toes and I sighed, knowing that we were going to be just fine.

"I love you, you silly man." I grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him along, "Come on; let's find out what has Seth in such a tizzy this morning."

As we made our way towards what had now become our office, I could feel eyes following us. The employees seemed to sense something big was about to happen. It made me a little nervous.

Inside, Seth was sat proud as punch in my chair. He made no move to vacate it for me, which he had learned aggravated the hell out of me. Cheeky bastard. Stood behind him were two men I had never seen before. I surmised that Edward must have known them, though, because he shook their hands and introduced me in French. Henri entered the office and closed the door quietly behind him. He stood with his arms folded, like he was waiting for something.

Seth cleared his throat, and all eyes turned to him.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, at approximately ten minutes past midnight, our new security scanner alerted us to a possible infiltration. The new system shut it down straight away, but it kept the necessary details we'd need to find out who it was, where they were, and how they were accessing the system. Bella, that latest security login you set up seemed as secure as any available today. The new security system tracked the information we needed via their ISP. It then infiltrated their security, giving us the details.

"From there, it's pretty routine stuff to find out which computer is being used and who's signed on to it. Pretty sophisticated stuff, you might think? Well, actually, not really. The security system here was almost none-existent, and even when we took over and started implementing things, it was all still pretty basic, for an amateur, anyway. Well, the new system worked, did what it said on the package, and when I came in along with Henri here, we hit the jackpot."

Everyone in the room looked at each other still puzzled, especially Edward and I.

Who, Seth, who is it?" I asked, anxious to know who was behind all this.

"In due time, Bella, be patient. We had some digging to do once we got here. I had a list of login ID's, but they were in alphabetical order so it took me a while. Eventually...I got to Gerald."

"Gerald?" both Edward and I said at the same time.

"I told you guys you wouldn't believe it. Once we had him, it was quite easy to find out how he was doing it. He had some hacking system running in the background, which kept your passwords and login details. When he logged out, his programme was still running in the background. All he had to do was sign back on, go to his still-running programme, and voilà. He panicked when the new system shut him down. He's an amateur, people, driven by greed, love and desperation…who knows what. Well, when Henri confronted him, he just caved. I wish I'd been there," he shook his head a little. "He also told Henri a rather interesting story. It really is the icing on the cake. Are you ready to hear it?"

Sitting down on one of the spare chairs, I nodded. I didn't think I could have spoken if I'd wanted to. Edward, like me, sat and waited expectantly for what was to come.

"It looks like Gerald has been syphoning money out of the business for years, and he was doing it for not only himself, but for Nathalie. While it might appear that Nathalie is a rich widow, her lavish lifestyle and expensive toys quickly drained her bank balance, making her annual allowance from the company insufficient to keep her in the luxurious manner to which she'd become accustomed. When Aro and Caius stepped in after Marcus' death, they started asking questions about the questionable books and wanted more control over the accounts. It seems they thought she was spending far too frivolously.

"When Aro's team suspected money was going missing from the company and started to look for the leak, Nathalie brought in Cullen, Hale and McCarty to divert the attention away from her activities. Marcus had gone to school with Jasper's father back in the states, and they'd maintained a close friendship. Nathalie apparently thought that by having an American law firm on retainer, it would look good and keep prying eyes at bay, but also be far enough away to not be a threat. Our Ms. Oberlauge is obviously an extremely greedy woman, as an allowance of two million Euros a year and all her household expenses fully covered were not enough."

Both Edward and I were stunned. I felt more than a bit stupid not seeing this going on right in front of me. Seth continued.

"Gerald told us he wanted to stop, he felt they'd amassed more than enough money and had it hidden away in several offshore accounts, ready to just disappear together and live in the lap of luxury for the rest of their lives. But no, Nathalie wanted more, and her lust for money and men was their downfall. She scared him more and more with her greed and thirst for other men.

"First, she pursued Edward, and when she had no luck there, she moved on to me, still insisting Gerald steal more and more money. She kept telling him that it was him she really loved, and the others were just flights of fancy and meant nothing. It would appear that we were just a few in a long line of men Nathalie toyed with, Edward. Last nights' attempt was Gerald's last-ditch effort to make her see sense. He had two tickets to Barbados on him and a suitcase packed behind his office door. I really believe that even if Nathalie didn't agree to go this time, Gerald would've disappeared by himself and taken it all. We could've lost the money, too. I'm almost inclined to say the poor bastard deserved it after what she's put him through, but only almost. He's still a bloody thief."

I was still in shock when Edward took hold of my hand and gently caressed my palm with his thumb. I immediately felt better, he knew what I needed better than I did.

"Does she know that we know?" I asked.

"No, only the people in this room and Gerald, of course, know that we know anything. I've asked Nathalie, Aro and Caius to join us a bit later."

"Won't Gerald contact her? Tell her we know?"

"He's under house arrest, Bella. A couple of Henri's men are keeping him company. He has no access to a computer or a phone. You don't need to worry about him. He's happy to spill his guts for more leniency. He's just a very sad, weak man who was brainwashed by a scheming, manipulative woman who took advantage of his weakness."

"Nathalie used him for his brains and also to cover her tracks. She counted on us not suspecting him, love. I'd bet he was just a part of her plan all along. Women like her only love themselves," Edward said quietly.

A sharp knock on the door brought a little light relief with morning coffee. I was still stunned by the revelations, but as I got my head around it all, I wanted to kill the French bitch with my bare hands. However, strangulation would have been too kind for what I had in mind. Multiple conversations went on around me, some in English, and some in French. I noticed Edward looking at me, his eyes worried.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, pulling me closer to him.

"Not really, I still can't believe it. How did we not see this, Edward? I feel pretty stupid right now. Don't you?"

"No, not really, love. Given how things were going, it's not like we would've suspected Gerald to be into it this deep, if at all. He's a puppet, Bella, nothing else. I'm sure there were signs we probably overlooked, that was what Nathalie counted on, but I don't think she realised who she was dealing with. She did her damnedest to keep us preoccupied to create diversions, but she was too arrogant or maybe ignorant to think we could have access to technology that would catch her. No, she used us just as much as she used Gerald. I can't wait to see her face when she realises we know. I wonder what excuses she'll have, what other smoke screens she'll try to throw."

"I want to kill her, Edward. I'm worried I might rip her head off and not regret it one bit."

He laughed. "I hope you don't do that, love. Last night was bad enough without you. I don't think I could cope if you were in jail for the next twenty years." He lifted my chin, and I smiled at him. His lips touched mine in a delicate kiss. "Remember that I love you, breathe deeply, and think about us going home."

I nodded and leaned forward, dropping a small kiss at the side of his mouth, "I love you, too."

Coffee break over, we got back to business.

"Do we have any idea how much they have stashed or where?" Edward asked Seth.

"Yeah, Gerald gave up access to all their accounts. They have around forty million dollars tucked away. That's about twenty-seven Sterling, or Euros. It seems she's already spent a bunch that he was unaware of. The transactions show some pretty heavy spending at Bvlgari. The woman has expensive taste, that's for sure."

"Will we be able to recover all the items she purchased and impound them?" I asked.

Seth answered after getting the nod from Henri.

"Yeah, any assets purchased can be confiscated and sold to replenish what she stole. I mean, we won't get it all back, because it seems she spent plenty on other things that aren't asset purchases."

"Like what?" I asked, curious now.

"Bella, just other stuff…you know, wining and dining, stuff like that."

I didn't believe him. "Can I look at the bank accounts? All of them?" I wanted to know what Ms. Oberlauge had spent her ill-gotten money on.

Seth sighed and shook his head before signing on to his laptop and turning it to face me. If he would have removed himself from my chair, I could have accessed it myself, the cheeky arse.

I spent time accessing the Swiss accounts first. All the credits corresponded with the dates money had gone missing and the amounts stolen. Lump sums were then transferred to another account, from which I assumed she had done her spending. It looked like poor Gerald had had no say in anything once he had stolen the money. Nathalie had accounts in France, England and the U.S. Her U.S. dollars account looked as if it was pretty dormant, with a huge credit balance. She was obviously leaving that untouched for a rainy day. Edward stood behind me, reading the accounts over my shoulder.

The Sterling and Euro accounts were well used, _very_ well used, actually, with pages and pages of transactions. The woman did not know the meaning of the word budget. There was transaction after transaction from designer couture houses. Harrod's had been a regular, supplying her with her daily caviar habit. I turned my nose up at that thought. Yuk.

I jotted down a couple of names that did not seem familiar. I looked them up on Google, because the transactions were also quite regular and for quite a bit of money. My eyes went wide, and Edward cleared his throat behind me, as the reason behind the transactions came to light. Edward's hand squeezed my shoulder as I stifled a giggle.

"Seth?" I needed his attention. "Are these transactions what I think they are?"

"Yes, Bella, they are. It seems Gerald and I were not enough for Ms. Oberlauge. She frequently paid for male prostitutes, as you can see from the transactions, and the corresponding online pages show where some were hired for up to a week at a time. The English ones were flown over from the UK first class, all expenses paid."

"These transactions total thousands of dollars. I dare not even add it up. Oh, my god, the woman is a nymphomaniac!" I said laughing out loud. "Well, that's money the company is never going to see again. Did you know how much these guys earned?" I asked again out loud, directing my question mainly to Edward and Seth.

"Bella, love, I think the agencies take the lion's share of the fee. I don't think the guys working there are millionaires or anything. They get the perks, though." My eyes bulged at his words, and he went beetroot red and stumbled to explain himself. "By perks, I simply meant expensive clothes and the like. You have a filthy mind, Miss Swan," he winked at me, while Seth shook his head at our interaction.

Edward whispered in my ear a little later that he was hungry and was going to pop out for a bite to eat. I asked him to get a sandwich for me as well. The office was quiet now, with only Seth and I left. He was busy going through the bank statements, while I just sat and pondered our findings.

"Seth, I'm sorry I introduced you to her. I feel like it's my fault you got used. You came here to see me, and I'm sorry."

"Bella, I made my own choices, I'm a big boy. I can look after myself. Look, we were both fooled. Let's leave it at that," he sighed and walked over, pulling me in for a hug.

The door to the office opened.

"Clearwater, will you please take your hands off my girlfriend," Edward's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Do you want to go back out and close the door behind you, Cullen? Bella and I were just getting all hot and bothered," Seth teased. I slapped him on the chest as I moved out of his arms and over to Edward, taking my sandwich from his hands and kissing him in thanks before I sat down.

"Good job I know you're joking, Seth, because I'm feeling better, and I'd hate to have to kick your arse for trying it on with my girl."

"Your girl can kick arses on her own when necessary, thank you. Now, when you two have finished pissing all over me, can we get back to business? What time is Nathalie due in?"

"She's here already," Edward nodded toward Nathalie's office. "I saw her in there on the phone as I came back in. They're due in the boardroom at two o'clock. We have about another hour and a half to gather more information on her spending."

"Okay, well, I'm out of here until then. I think I need a stiff drink before we confront her with all we've got."

Edward cringed at Seth's mention of alcohol, and I hid my smirk behind my sandwich.

It was lovely and quiet once again when Edward and I were alone. We ate in silence, glancing over at one another occasionally and smiling. I cleared away the wrappings and water bottles once we were done, with the intention of getting back to work.

Edward stopped me, though.

"Come here for a few minutes." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard and passionately. It was the sort of kiss that took my breath away, and I was along for the ride wholeheartedly. When we eventually had to come up for air, we look into each other's eyes.

"What did I do to deserve that? Not that I mind, of course. It was…well, it was…wow."

"You always deserve to be kissed like that, Bella. I want to kiss you like that every minute of every day that we spend together. Even when we're apart, I still think about kissing you."

"Is that all you think about? Kissing me?"

In answer, he growled a little and stalked off. I was more than a little disappointed. However, he surprised me when he stopped in front of the door and locked it before turning back to me, his eyes now dark and full of passion.

"Edward, what are you doing?" I asked him as he slowly stalked toward me.

"I'm going to make love to my beautiful girlfriend, that's what I'm going to do. I want her to forgive me for abandoning her last night and for making a fool of myself. I want her to open her body to me and scream my name as she comes undone around my fingers, my mouth, and my cock. What do you think she'll say to that, Bella? Do you think she'll let me prove how sorry I am to her? Do you think she'll let me show her how much I want and need her; let me make her come over and over here in her office?"

I swallowed hard, my panties instantly soaking wet, and I desperately needed some friction down there. I didn't answer him with words; I just slowly started to undo the buttons on my blouse.

"Stop, I want to do that," he growled, kissing my neck.

It felt wonderful, he felt wonderful, and I wondered for a moment how I'd ever thought I could have lived without him, without this. His oral assault on my breasts sent me over the edge, and I had to hold on to him tightly to stop myself from falling.

"Beautiful, so beautiful," he whispered between kisses.

I worked on his shirt and tie, not bothering taking them off, but leaving them hanging open. I still had access to his glorious chest hair and ever-so-sensitive nipples.

"Argh, Bella..." he moaned as I nipped and lathed his nipples until they were hard.

"I need you, Edward, right now," I begged him hoarsely.

"Patience, my sweet girl, patience, I want to take my time with you. No one will be here until two o'clock, so we have time to enjoy each other. I want to worship you, my love, please let me."

How could I say no to that? I was not even going to try. I submitted to him willingly and let myself feel his love radiate through every touch, every kiss. When he finally thrust into me, I was more than ready. I had come twice already, and I was still sensitive and aching for more. His lips and tongue were magic on my nipples as he kissed them with every thrust. I matched him, urging him on and on, deeper, harder, and faster, until we were both spent.

Once our breathing was back to normal, and I had stopped shaking, I glanced at him. His smile was one that matched my own. I loved this man so desperately, and clearly he loved me the same.

"Did I do something extra special to deserve that?" I asked him, dropping a kiss on his now-swollen lips.

"You're special, Bella, and I just wanted to love you. I missed you last night. My fault, I know, but I needed to be close to you, show you how much you mean to me."

"I know you love me, Edward, it's pretty clear. I love you, too, and I love our intimacy as well. But please, don't think you have to prove yourself constantly. Not that I'm complaining about your stellar methods, it was wonderful, more than that, actually, but I could've waited until we were back at the hotel," I winked at him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm not trying to prove anything other than the fact that I love you, and I want to make love to you all day, every day. I know that's not conducive to getting much work done, but I can't help it, love. I'm in love, and I just want to show you all the time," he looked at me meaningfully with those eyes, smiling at me, and I melted again.

"Oh, Edward, what am I going to do with you? Well, I can think of a few things, but we'd better save those for later," I winked at him again and unlocked the door.

At two o'clock on the dot, we made our way hand in hand to the boardroom. Aro and Caius were already there. Seth and Henri joined us shortly after. Nathalie breezed in a few minutes later. Her eyes scanned the room, she was obviously aware that Gerald was missing. Henri moved to stand in front of the now-closed door, preventing anyone from getting out.

"Gerald sends his apologies, as he's tied up at the moment," Seth said, fighting a smirk, and I once again stifled a giggle, as Edward rolled his eyes at Seth's idea of humour. "So, ladies and gentlemen, shortly after midnight, we had another security breach."

Before he could continue, there were gasps all around, including, I might add, from Nathalie.

"This is ludicrous!" she yelled. "I brought you in to stop this from happening!"

"Nathalie, please, calm yourself and let me finish," Seth addressed her directly before continuing.

When he mentioned the breach had failed due to new security measures, she fidgeted in her seat. Aro and Caius made all the right noises about the theft being stopped, and then they started to question if Seth knew any more. When he said he did, Nathalie stood as if to make her way to the door. "Well, it seems you have this all under control now, so my presence is not needed. I'll leave you to it."

"Sit down, Nathalie," Seth, Edward and I said at the same time.

She looked shocked and started to bluster, but eventually she did as we had asked.

As Seth continued with laying out his findings, I watched Nathalie and saw a spectrum of emotions and colours cross her face. Aro and Caius smirked, but said nothing. It made me wonder if they'd had an inclination of what had been going on.

"Gerald was still in his office when Henri and I got there, he even had a case packed and flights to Barbados on him."

Nathalie grew paler and paler, and I was almost enjoying watching her squirm.

"So what did the snivelling little twerp have to say for himself?" Aro shouted.

"Well, it's kind of funny you should ask that, actually, Mr. Volturi, because Gerald opened up and sang like a canary."

"This is preposterous! Gerald is one of my closest friends. I'll never believe that he was stealing from me," Nathalie postured.

"Nathalie, Gerald made some pretty far-out allegations while he was spewing. They all implicated you as the real mole, the instigator if you like."

"Me? It's my company! Why would I steal my own money?" she sneered, laughing, obviously thinking she had us fooled yet again.

Now it was Edward's turn to step in. He motioned for Seth to let him interject.

"I was thinking the same thing, Nathalie. So being kind of nosey and a little bit intrigued, I did some digging. It seems that when Marcus died, the company was already losing money. That plus your spending sprees obviously preyed heavily on Marcus, because he changed his will about a year before he died. He gave you a hefty lump sum, plus an annual allowance from the profits, but the company was not left solely to you, so it's not all 'your money' as you've so frequently stated.

"This sum, plus all your household costs being covered, should've left you sitting pretty. But no," he shook his head and brought out of his folder a few bank statements. "The fifty million left to you was gone in no time. Seems likes you spent it all on showing a plethora of Parisian gentlemen a good time. The paltry two million a year allowance was obviously not enough for you. With Aro and Caius becoming involved, asking questions, and looking into the company's finances, you needed to do something. You're one greedy bitch, Nathalie Oberlauge. You had access to more money than most people could ever dream of, and you literally squandered it."

"I cannot help having expensive tastes. I like nice things, Edward, you know that," she had the nerve to stroke his arm.

He looked over at me, his eyes pleading with me to keep calm and not kill her just yet.

He shrugged her off and visibly cringed. I could not help a smirk. See, that was MY man right there.

"Expensive tastes in men, too, I see." He passed the highlighted pages to Aro and Caius. "Gentlemen, please see the transaction to 'pander to your every need ' and 'whatever your taste ' marked hereon. These, gentlemen, are agencies that Nathalie has used for male prostitutes. The transactions come to hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are also multiple transactions to top-end jewellers. See for yourself the level of spending she's done. Her allowance obviously did not nearly cover it."

"Nathalie, what do you have to say to this?" Aro asked, not even looking at her. He was too busy skimming the pages of spending records before him.

"Well, I'm obviously being stitched up here. Gerald is looking to divert the blame to me. Surely you believe me," she tried to deflect, adding an attempted look of innocence.

"No, actually, we don't. Gerald has no use for male prostitutes. He's in love with you, he told me himself, and has been for years. He's your puppet, Nathalie, he did it all for you, believing you'd eventually be together. Poor sod, does he even know about the money in the U.S. dollars account, or was that that another of your rainy day funds?"

Obviously caught, Nathalie snapped. "Gerald is an old fool! I can wrap him round my little finger, and I always have. He would've been easy to cast aside when I no longer had a need for him. I don't love him, I never have. He was a means to an end. I never even loved Marcus. He kept me in the manner to which I'd become accustomed, so I stayed. I use men for money, business and sex," she actually winked at Edward, and I felt myself rise from my chair. "Oh, sit down, Isabella, you won, Edward was never interested in me. My flirting was thrown in my face when you came on the scene. Before that, he only tolerated me, and his impeccable manners stopped him from being rude and telling me to 'fuck off'. So, Gentlemen, what do we do now? I'll give back the money, say a few 'mea culpas' and we all move on, I think."

I snorted loudly. The silly bitch really thought she was going to get away with it.

"Unfortunately not, Nathalie," Aro stood. "I trust I'm speaking for both of us?" he looked toward Caius, who nodded in agreement. "You, along with Gerald, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I trust, Mr. Cullen, Mr. Clearwater, that all the bank accounts have been frozen, and all the monies will be returned? Am I also right in thinking we can insist that all assets purchased be sold to reclaim more of the company's money?"

Seth, Edward and I all nodded.

"I always knew you were a greedy witch, Nathalie, but my dear brother loved you. Marcus adored you, and he sent himself to an early grave providing for you. In my eyes, you and your greed killed him. I shall enjoy watching you being publicly humiliated when all this comes out, and I shall enjoy watching you being prosecuted and rotting in jail even more."

Henri stepped up to her and took her by the arm. Outside the door, the French police were waiting. Seth assured us Gerald had already been transferred to the police earlier.

The boardroom was a little quiet after they left. We all just sat and looked at each other.

Aro and Caius stood and offered their hands. "Thank you for getting to the bottom of this. No disrespect, but do you mind if we bring in our own family law firm to handle their prosecution?"

"I wouldn't mind at all. We need to get back home," Edward said taking hold of my hand.

"Will you take a few days to bring our team up to speed, or perhaps Mr. Clearwater here could stay on a while, if he's not too busy?" Caius requested.

"Seth? Any plans?"

"None that can't be changed, I'd love to stay and help out. I know this stuff inside and out, and I'd really like to see it through."

"That's settled then, you can stay at the apartment for as long as you're here."

Aro and Caius hurried out of the boardroom, their heads close together, obviously talking about our findings.

"Well, that was all a bit of an anti-climax, wasn't it."

"I'm just glad it's over with. So, are you really okay with staying a while, Seth? Is it okay if Bella and I take off?"

"I am, actually, I like it here, so you two are free to head home. Henri and I have become fast friends and have it under control here. He's a grumpy bastard, but I'm used to that," he smirked Edward's way. He walked out of the boardroom as well, leaving Edward and I alone.

"You okay?" he asked, bending down to look me straight in the eye.

"Yeah, I'm good now," I walked into his arms.

"I love you, Isabella Swan."

"I love you, too, Edward Cullen, so much."

"Let's go home, love? Shall we?"

"Home sounds lovely to me."

**So, you want an Epi, you say? More questions to be answered, you say? Maybe a loose end or two that needs a pretty bow? If there's something you want closure on, drop me a review and tell me what it is, and I'll try to make sure it's addressed. Let me hear your questions!**

**Until next time…**


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